Aji de Gallina con Mafaldine

The Recipe

Serves: 2-4 People
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

“Originally a dish that was introduced by the Moors, it was sweet, cream, and thickened with almonds.”

Aji de Gallina is one of those staple comfort foods found throughout Peru and finds its place in the home and in fine dining establishments alike. It is a dish that has evolved with the immigration patterns of Peru.

It was originally a dish that was introduced into Peru by the Moors. A creamy, sweet dish thickened with almonds that has since morphed into a savoury dish containing the fruity and gentle spice of Aji Amarillo, cheese and bread as a thickening agent.

The first time I tried aji de gallina on my travels, it seemed so familiar. As I continued to try the dish around the country, the black olives so prominent in the cuisine told tales of European history, as did coriander, an herb originally from the Mediterranean.

With an armload of ingredients I brought back from Peru, aji amarillo was one of them so of course I seized the opportunity to recreate this comfort dish, and instead of pairing it with rice, I’ve teamed it up with my ultimate comfort food - pasta!

Mafaldine is a flat pasta that has these beautiful ruffled edges that hold on to sauce (and in this case, shredded chicken), so well.

THE INGREDIENTS

250g chicken breast
2 cloves of garlic
bunch of fresh rosemary
½ medium onion roughly chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 slice of white bread (I used brioche)
250mls evaporated milk
2tbsp aji amarillo paste
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
30g toasted walnuts
40g parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
400g mafaldine

Garnish
coriander
black olives
extra parmesan cheese

THE METHOD

1. In a large pot, place 1 L of water with the chicken breast, salt, rosemary, garlic, and onion and simmer until the chicken is cooked. Take out the chicken and shred while warm; set aside.

2. In another pot, bring salted water to a boil, place in the mafaldine, and cook until tender

3. Tear bread and pour in the evaporated milk; allow to soak until nice and soggy

4. In a pan over medium heat, heat oil and sauté onion, then garlic until fragrant; remove from heat and place in a bowl to cool.

5. Blend cooked onions, garlic, soaked bread, aji amarillo paste, toasted walnuts and cheese until nice and smooth. Place back in the pan and heat at a low temperature.

6. Toss mafaldine in the pan until the strands are nicely coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Plate nicely, top with black olives, chopped coriander, olive oil, and of course, another grating of parmesan cheese.

8. Enjoy