Chicken negresco (chicken soup bechamel pasta bake)

Melt 1 to 2 tbsp butter in a large stock pot; dissolve 2 small pieces of mastic in it.

Add 10 cracked cardamom pods, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves; toast in the butter 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add 2 to 3 large onions, medium diced, and saute on medium-high 4 to 5 minutes until they soften; add 3 cloves garlic.

Add a 1.5 kg chicken, sear if wished, and add water to submerge it. Add 3 tsp salt, cover and bring to a boil.

Turn down to medium and ladle off the floating scum; simmer with the lid ajar 40 to 50 minutes.

Remove the chicken to cool. Strain 800 ml of stock through a fine strainer for the bechamel; strain the rest separately for the pasta.

Bring the pasta stock to a rolling boil over high heat with 3 more cardamom pods if wanted and 1 tbsp salt; cook the penne 2 minutes less than the packet time, topping up with boiling water if needed. Drain.

Skin the chicken and shred the meat into bigger chunks, mixing light and dark meat.

In the same pot, melt 75 g butter over medium heat, stir in 75 g all-purpose flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes until nutty and loosened.

Add 500 ml cold whole milk 100 ml at a time, stirring each in until absorbed; switch to a whisk after the third pour.

Whisk in the 800 ml stock 100 ml at a time; add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp white or black pepper. Cook about 5 minutes over medium-low until it reduces to a spoon-coating texture.

In a large bowl mix the pasta and shredded chicken with most of the bechamel, keeping about half a cup back.

Fill a baking dish with the mixture, flatten any pieces sticking out so they do not burn, pour the remaining bechamel over and top with a little mozzarella.

Bake at 180C for 20 to 30 minutes with the grill on, until golden brown and crispy; serve immediately.