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Negresco (Egyptian chicken pasta bake)

Name: Negresco (Egyptian chicken pasta bake)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 1 whole medium chicken, jointed into 4-6 pieces, or 6 chicken thighs; 1 large onion, halved; 1 large carrot, roughly chopped; 1 celery stick, roughly chopped; 2 bay leaves; 2 green cardamom pods; 1 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 500g dried spaghetti; 1 litre whole milk; 300ml single cream; 1⁄4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 4 heaped tbsp plain flour; 100g unsalted butter; 150g parmesan, finely grated; 300g mozzarella, coarsely grated

By: Soha Darwish

Published: 24 Jan 25
Updated: 5 Feb 25

This Egyptian chicken pasta bake from food writer Soha Darwish is a crowdpleaser. “Sharing the recipe for negresco puts a big smile on my face for two reasons,” says Soha. “One, it is tied to some of my sweetest childhood memories, and two, it reminds me of my early days in London, telling my Italian friends that I’m making negresco for dinner, convinced that it was an authentic Italian pasta dish. They used to give me a quizzical look, which I didn’t understand at the time. Only later I came to realise that my beloved chicken pasta bake is not as Italian as I thought.”

“Negresco is an Egyptian dish, created during the 1950s and 60s when Italians, Greeks and many other nationalities called Egypt – and especially Alexandria – home. The authentic recipe uses heaps of grated roumi Egyptian cheese, which is a pungent hard cheese. It’s hard to find outside Egypt, though, so I use parmesan instead, along with mozzarella, and the result is just as comforting.”

An Egyptian-British food writer, culinary consultant and food blogger, Soha enjoys sharing wholesome hassle-free recipes with big flavours, inspired by Egyptian as well as Levantine cuisines. She has lived in London for 20 years. Find Soha on Instagram. Try her recipe for koshari, “the king of Egyptian street food”, next.

Easy
February 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6-8
Prep time 20 min. Cook time 1 hour 45 min

Freezable

Nutrition: Per serving (for 8)

Calories: 832kcals
Fat: 43g (25g saturated)
Protein: 48g
Carbohydrates: 61g (8.3g sugars)
Fibre: 3.3g
Salt: 1.6g

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Ingredients

1 whole medium chicken, jointed into 4-6 pieces, or 6 chicken thighs
1 large onion, halved
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
2 green cardamom pods
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
500g dried spaghetti
1 litre whole milk
300ml single cream
1⁄4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 heaped tbsp plain flour
100g unsalted butter
150g parmesan, finely grated
300g mozzarella, coarsely grated

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Method

Put the chicken, vegetables, bay, cardamom and half the salt and pepper in a snug-fitting pan. Pour in enough water to cover, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook the chicken for 1 hour, making sure it stays submerged in the water throughout.
Lift the chicken out of the liquid and set aside until cool enough to handle. Use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the vegetables and aromatics. Reserve the chicken broth. While you wait for the chicken to cool, cook the spaghetti until al dente (still with bite) according to the pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of pasta water.
Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, and shred the meat with your hands. Set aside. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Add the milk, cream, nutmeg, flour, butter and reserved pasta water to the chicken broth. Whisk thoroughly, then season with the remaining salt and pepper. Put the pan back over a low heat and gradually bring to a simmer, stirring regularly. Cook until the sauce thickens and the taste of raw flour has disappeared – it will be thinner than a regular bechamel but should still have some body to it. Stir in half the parmesan.
Lay half the cooked spaghetti over the base of a large baking dish, then cover with the shredded chicken, half the remaining parmesan and half the mozzarella. Cover with the sauce – about 3 large ladlefuls should do it – then lay over the rest of the pasta. Pour over the rest of the sauce, then scatter the remaining cheeses on top.
Bake the negresco in the oven for 30-45 minutes until golden on top and bubbling at the edges. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.