Recipe: Saffron rag pasta in chicken broth with peas

Serves 6

1 quantity saffron pasta dough*, prepared to end of step 3, or 250g stelline*
Fine semolina, to dust
2 chicken drumsticks and breasts, skin removed
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 egg tomato, quartered
1 onion, coarsely chopped
200g fresh or frozen peas, cooked, refreshed in cold water
Grated parmesan, chervil sprigs and Italian bread, to serve

1. Leave pasta sheets to dry for 20 minutes, then tear into 4-5cm ‘rags’ and place on a semolina-dusted tray. 
2. Place chicken drumsticks, carrot, celery, tomato, onion, 1 tsp salt and 2.5 litres water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer, skimming scum occasionally, for 1 hour. Add chicken breasts and simmer for 15 minutes or until just tender. Strain stock into a clean saucepan, discard vegetables and reserve chicken drumsticks for sandwiches. Shred chicken breasts.
3. Add chicken and peas to pan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add pasta and simmer for 1 minute. Season broth to taste and serve immediately with parmesan, chervil sprigs and Italian bread. 

* For saffron pasta, roast 1/2 tsp saffron in a dry frying pan for 1 minute. Crumble and combine well with half the quantity of flour and eggs. Proceed, following the Basic fresh pasta method.
* Stelline is a tiny, dried star-shaped ‘soup’ pasta available from supermarkets.

 

Super cheat’s tip
Dinner in a hurry? For a cheat’s version of Saffron rag pasta in chicken broth with peas, bring 2 litres chicken stock to the boil, add shredded meat from 1 barbecued chicken, 250g stelline pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. Stir in 200g cooked peas and serve soup with plenty of grated parmesan, chervil sprigs and bread. Serves 6.

Recipes: Sophia Young   Photography: Andrew Lehmann   Styling: Amber Keller   Food preparation: Lisa Featherby.