Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked pancetta
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- olive oil
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 600 gr. butternut squash or sweet potatoes
- 100 gr. chestnut mushrooms
- 800 gr. tins of plum tomatoes
- 250 ml Chianti , or other good red wine
- 4 free-range chicken thighs, bone in
- 8 black olives (stone in)
- 200 gr. seeded wholemeal bread
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
- Peel the onion and cut into eighths, trim, wash and slice the leek, peel and slice the garlic.
- Place a large ovenproof casserole pan on a medium heat.
- Finely slice the pancetta, pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, then place both in the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and the bay leaves.
- Stir regularly for 2′, then add the garlic, followed by the onion and leek.
- Cook for 10′, stirring regularly.
- Meanwhile, chop the squash or sweet potato, wash first, into bite-sized chunks, leaving the skin on and discarding any squash seeds.
- Add the trimmings straight to the pan, along with the whole mushrooms and chopped squash or sweet potato.
- Remove and discard the chicken skin and add the chicken to the pan.
- Pour in the wine and let it reduce slightly, then add the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.
- Half-fill each tin with water, swirl about, pour into the pan and mix it all together.
- Destone the olives, then poke them into the stew.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then transfer to the oven to cook for 60′, or until thick, the chicken falls off the bone.
- Season to perfection, then serve with bread to mop up that tasty sauce.