Here Is Some “Ottolenghi Love!”
My wife gave me an Ottolenghi cookbook a few years ago – when I didn’t know what an “Ottolenghi” was!
She bought me the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen cookbook called “Shelf Love” – a really cool concept from this London-based Chef – once I read through it, and more about him and his philosophy on food – I was hooked!
“Shelf Love” focused on using ingredients you already have on your shelf at home – a smart way to encourage me to stop buying and start using!
So, in the spirit of the cookbook, I cleared my shelf of pasta, Rao’s Arrabiata sauce and tomato paste, along with onion, garlic – I only bought some chicken thighs – and it was time to cook a one-pot chicken pasta dish!
Here are the ingredients for the dish:
6 chicken thighs
I large onion, diced as you see above
4 garlic cloves, diced as seen above
2 tbsp thyme leaves
3 tbsp tomato paste
dry spaghetti
parmesan cheese
bread crumbs
parsley
grated lemon zest
salt and pepper
Put the chicken in a hot pot with oil and let it brown nicely on one side for 7 minutes, then slide in the onion and garlic:
Turn the chicken over and mix it all together, sweating the onions and garlic until softened and slightly brown – about 5 minutes!
Add the tomato paste and thyme, stirring it all in for a minute…and also turn on your oven to 350 degrees.
Add 2/3rd of a cup of water and let it simmer for ten minutes, then add another cup of water…or in my case, I added a cup of the Rao’s sauce to give it an even richer flavor!
After ten more minutes…it’s time to add the pasta!
My pot was the perfect size for the pasta to lay flat…the recipe asks to push the past to the bottom and lay the chicken on top, then cover with a lid and put it in your oven for a half hour!
Mix together the parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon zest and thyme…and this will be your coating for the chicken later!
Add parsley finely chopped parsley and after 30 minutes, your pasta should have absorbed all of the liquid in the pot!
As you can see…the pasta was cooked, soft and swirling around the chicken pieces…so add your crust topping and stick it back in the oven,turning it to broil…about five minutes is all you will need…
After broiling, it comes out looking like this:
As you can see, it toasted nicely, but the downside to a “one pot” dish is that it looks messy – until you plate it, then it can be presented to your friends or family like this:
I was very happy with how this looked on the plate: when you scoop it out, the pasta forms a nice base for the chicken, but also mixes in nicely – a true “one pot and one scoop” dish!
I have cooked with Ottolenghi before:
This Orzo dish with Prawns was delicious as well…here is the recipe:
And another Ottolenghi recipe I discovered – I really ha e gotten into this terrific Chef!
Including His Delicious “Stoup” Recipe!
Click here for Chef’s description of “Stoup”, and the recipe I made!
I have been trying to make new and different flavors at home, like these unique meatballs!
Yes, they are “hard-boiled egg stuffed meatballs!”
See my review here:
“Bite! Eat! Repeat!” is filled with recipes and so much more – please sign up to follow along here:
If you enjoy this series, please share on social media – thanks!
Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Food, Food Writing, Recipes, Wacky Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Have followed Yotam Ottolenghi forever and, methinks, seen all his TV series so popular in Australia. Love all his interviews and writings on the politics of Middle Eastern affairs. Thought I had seen all his cookery books but am missing this one tho’ it is on an obvious topic! Keep on following all the food served in his London restaurant . . . the guy has done so much for current modern cooking!
wow, yes i want to try this!
I would love to try that delicious meal. However, I counted just 19 peeled cloves of garlic on your prep photo. Are you sure that’s enough, John? 😉Shared on Twitter.
Best wishes, Pete.
Pete, an excellent point!
This is one of his books I don’t have; have to give it a thumb through!
I didn’t realize how many he had!
Ohhh I hear you! I just found pickled peaches in my pantry. I definitely need to stop buying and start using! Great recipe – I’m a huge Ottolenghi fan.