Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Genuine parmesan contains no artificial ingredients. I used No Name tomato paste, which is additive-free.

Simmer chicken in water with onions and garlic until it is cooked through and falling apart

This recipe uses thyme, bay leaves, parmesan rind, tomatoes, tomato paste and pasta

Soften vegetables

Add thyme, garlic, bay leaves and rind

Add tomatoes, stock, chicken meat and pasta

Garnish with red chile and grated parmesan

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (around 3 lbs/1.4 kg)

1 whole head garlic, halved, plus 4 cloves, peeled and crushed

1 onion, cut into 4 wedges

Salt and black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and cut into roughly ½-inch/15 mm cubes (8 oz/220 g net weight)

3 sticks celery, cut at an angle into roughly 0.4-inch/1cm-thick slices (7 oz/200 g net weight)

3 bay leaves

1½ tbsp (22.5) thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 oz/60 g parmesan, finely grated, plus 1 small piece of rind

5 plum tomatoes, coarsely grated and skins discarded (11 oz/320 g)

2 tsp (10 ml) tomato paste

6 oz/180 g dried long pasta, such as pappardelle or fettucine

0.5 oz/15 g basil leaves, finely shredded

1 red chile, deseeded and finely chopped

Preparation:

Put the chicken, garlic head halves, onion, 8.5 cups/two litres of water and two and a quarter teaspoons (11 ml) of salt in a large saucepan for which you have a lid. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 80 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a board, leave to cool slightly, then pull off the meat in large shreds; discard the skin, bones and cartilage. Strain the stock into a medium saucepan (discard the solids). Keep warm on a low heat while you get on with everything else.

Put the oil in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat, then sauté the carrot and celery for four minutes, until they start to soften. Add the crushed garlic, bay, thyme and parmesan rind, cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for three minutes, until the tomatoes cook down slightly. Pour in hot stock, half a teaspoon (2.5 ml) of salt and a generous grind of pepper, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

Ladle out 14 oz/400 g of the soup, about 50/50 liquid to solids (avoid the bay and rind), transfer to a blender and blitz smooth. Stir back into the soup pan and turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the pasta, chicken flesh and a good grind of pepper, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Discard the bay leaves and parmesan rind.

Divide the soup between four bowls, top with the basil, chilli, a good grind of pepper and a sprinkling of grated parmesan, and serve with extra parmesan alongside. Serves 4-6.

From Yotam Ottolenghi