ROOSTER WITH HILOPITES (EGG PASTA)

16/03/2017

INGREDIENTS (serves 10)

1 large rooster (2kg – 2.5kg approximately)
1kg hilopites
1 large onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 fresh tomatoes
1 – 1.5 tablespoons tomato sauce
2-3 sticks of cinnamon
2-3 laurel leaves
3-4 pieces of allspice
1 tablespoon butter
3-4 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

EXECUTION

- Cut the rooster into portions and place it in the pot to be browned in the olive oil. Add in the vinegar, some raw oil and water until the meat is submerged.
Turn up the heat to boil. After it’ s started boiling, turn down the heat by half and make sure the pot lid is on.
- Let boil for about 2 – 2.5 hours. Open the lid at around half that to check the meat.
In another utensil sautée the onion separately and add the 2-3 cloves of garlic, the fresh fine-chopped tomato, the tomato sauce and some water. After the mixture starts boiling, add it into the pot with the rooster.
- Add 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 2-3 laurel leaves, 3-4 allspice seeds, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to boil and then turn it down, cover with the lid and let simmer for around 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken. After the 20 minutes are over, turn up the heat and let boil 2-3 times, add some more vinegar, allow it to evaporate and then turn the stove off.
- Boil the hilopites in salted water with a few drops of olive oil. Stir with a wooden fork, let them boil for 1-2 minutes and turn down the heat halfway. Let simmer around 2-3 minutes with the lid on and remove from stove. Add butter, rest for around 2-3 minutes and strain. Total boiling time: 7-9 minutes.
Serve the hilopites in a dish, pour the sauce and add the rooster. Ideally served with kefalotyri or dry mizithra.
Secret #1: As the sauce is simmering, add a tablespoon of thick-chopped trahanas. It will help give the sauce a texture more like that of honey and enrich its flavour.
Secret #2: In order to make the sauce even thicker, add a teaspoon butter and some balsamic vinegar at the end.
Kali orexi – bon appetit!