Domatesli Sebzeli Magarına Bulli Çorbası: Cypriot-Style Chicken & Pasta Soup with Tomatoes & Vegetables

Makes 6-8 portions

For the chicken & stock

8 chicken wings

4 chicken thighs 

2 1/2 litres cold water 

1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 

1 tsp olive oil

Pinch of sea salt flakes and coarse black pepper 

For the soup base 

2 large carrots, finely diced 

2 onions, finely diced 

2 large celery sticks, finely diced 

1 large potato, peeled and finely diced

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 can finely chopped tomatoes  

2 tbsp Turkish sweet red pepper paste 

1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 

1 tsp sea salt flakes 

1/2 tsp coarse black pepper 

150g bitesize pasta of your choice 

Finely grated hellim and dried mint to serve 

Method

Preheat oven to 200c fan / 200c conventional 

Place all the chicken portions in a large pan and cover with the cold water. Add the salt to the pan and place on a high heat, bring up to boil, and reduce right down to a simmer (skin off any foam that forms on the surface). After 30 mins, remove the chicken thighs to an oven proof dish, add two ladles of the stock, the olive oil and black pepper, and pop in the oven for around 30 mins until golden brown and crispy, basting halfway through. 

Meanwhile, prep the soup base. Add the extra virgin olive oil to a large pan on a medium heat, and once hot, add all of the veg and soften for 15-20 mins (turn down the heat a little if they start browning too much). Add the chopped tomatoes and red pepper paste, stir well, add the thyme and the sea salt flakes and blank pepper, let it simmer for a couple of mins then fill the empty can up with cold water, add it to the pan, bring up to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let it reduce down for around 10 mins. 

While the chicken is cooking in the oven, and once the chicken wings have been boiling for around 50 mins in total, remove the wings to a plate. The stock should have reduced by about a half so you should have around 1-1.2ltr, or just over, of stock. Carefully pour it into a large jug and check the quantity.

Add the pasta to the tomatoey soup baste, stir well then pour in the chicken stock, bring up to a boil, and reduce to a simmer while you shred the chicken. Remove the fat and bones from the chicken wings and just as the pasta is cooked, stir through the shredded chicken and serve, in large bowls, topped with the grated hellim, dried mint and the crispy baked chicken thighs.