Confit Norfolk Black Chicken Agnolotti
Confit Norfolk Black Chicken Agnolotti
with Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Hazelnuts & Aged Parmesan
Prepare: Less than 30 mins
Cook: Under 30 mins
Serve: 4
Ingredients
Confit Norfolk Black Chicken
- 2 whole Norfolk Black Chicken legs (thigh & drumstick), skin on
- 750 g duck fat (or chicken fat), enough to fully submerge
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Fine sea salt
Filling
- Confit chicken meat (from above), finely shredded
- 150 g mixed wild mushrooms (girolle, chestnut, shiitake or oyster), finely chopped
- 1 small shallot, very finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 40 g finely grated Parmigiano (plus extra to serve)
- 1 tbsp mascarpone or crème fraîche
- Freshly grated nutmeg, a pinch
- Fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- Black pepper & sea salt
Agnolotti Pasta
- 400 g ’00’ flour
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of fine sea salt
To Finish
- 200 g mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 40 g whole hazelnuts, toasted and roughly crushed
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 small garlic clove, lightly crushed
- A few thyme leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly grated Parmesan
Method
Confit the Chicken
- Season the chicken legs generously with sea salt and rest in the fridge for 4–6 hours. Rinse lightly, pat dry.
- Place the legs in a small ovenproof pan with the garlic, herbs and duck fat, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged. Cook at 120°C for 3 hours, until meltingly tender.
- Remove from the fat and allow to cool slightly. Shred the meat finely, discarding skin and bones. Reserve a little of the confit fat for cooking.
Make the Filling
- Heat a spoon of reserved confit fat in a pan. Gently sweat the shallot and garlic until soft.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until their moisture has evaporated and they are deeply flavoured.
- Allow to cool slightly, then mix with the shredded chicken, Parmesan, mascarpone, nutmeg and thyme. Season carefully with salt and pepper. The filling should be rich, savoury and finely textured. Chill until needed.
Make the Pasta
- Combine the flour and salt on a work surface, make a well and add the eggs and olive oil.
- Bring together and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes). Wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll the pasta into long sheets (thin enough to see your hand through). Pipe or spoon a neat line of filling along the sheet, fold over, seal, and cut into classic agnolotti shapes. Keep covered until cooking.
Cook & Finish
- Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden; cool and crush.
- Sauté the sliced wild mushrooms in olive oil until golden. Season lightly and set aside.
- Cook the agnolotti in well-salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes, until just tender.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide pan with the garlic and thyme until lightly foaming. Add the mushrooms and drained agnolotti, tossing gently with a splash of pasta water to create a glossy sauce.
To Serve
Divide the agnolotti between warm bowls. Finish with roasted hazelnuts, finely grated Parmesan and a drizzle of excellent olive oil.
Elegant, deeply savoury and quietly luxurious — allowing the Norfolk Black Chicken to truly shine.