Smoked Chicken in a Delicate Creamy Besciamella Sauce with Walnut and Feta

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Smoked Chicken in a Delicate Creamy Besciamella Sauce with Walnut and Feta



Different pasta shapes are made to carry or hold particular styles of sauce.  This Besciamella (béchamel) is deliciously light and creamy that pairs wonderfully with different pasta shapes. Here it's served with fresh ready-made raviolini and shredded smoked chicken but wide ribbon pasta, tortellini, and so on would also work, as does dried pasta if that's what you have.

If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce liquid.  if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more milk or cream.

Ingredients: (serves 2-3)

50gm butter

1/3rd cup plain white flour

200 ml fresh full-cream milk

150 ml fresh runny cream

Approximately 1/2 cup (125ml) reserved cooked pasta water

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (or more to your taste)

150-200gm smoked chicken breast, shredded or chopped

Fresh pasta of your choosing

Feta, crumbled

Walnuts, rough chopped

Ground pink or sea salt and black pepper

Fresh herbs to serve


Method:

In a large pot melt the butter on medium-low heat.  Remove from heat, sprinkle in flour and slow whisk to form a roux without lumps.  Add milk slowly while continuing to whisk (also slowly).  Increase heat to medium, return pot to stove and stir gently as the mixture thickens to prevent lumps.

Remove from heat and put to one side.

Shred or chop chicken breast into small pieces, crumble feta and rough chop the walnuts, setting each aside in a separate bowl.

Cook fresh pasta according to packet instructions.

When the pasta is nearly cooked, return béchamel sauce to stove on medium heat, add chicken, cream, nutmeg, ground salt and pepper. Drain off the 1/2 cup pasta water and add to béchamel sauce.  Allow to warm through and continue to thicken, stirring to avoid the bottom burning.

Drain the rest of the pasta (do not rinse) and add it to béchamel sauce.  Mix through carefully so as to not damage the pasta.

Serve on a warmed pasta plate with crumbled feta, chopped walnuts, and herbs of your choosing.