Arcadian Chicken
Noodle Soup
FOR 4-6 PEOPLE
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM
PREP TIME: 80 MINUTES

Ingredients:
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes
- 1 chicken, about 11/2 kg, quartered
- salt and pepper
- flour for dusting
- 5-6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 onion, peeled
- 1 carrot, cut in 2
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- a few sprigs fresh oregano
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 allspice berries
- 500 g hylopites, Greek noodles, or fettuccine
- grated myzithra cheese, or pecorino

Preparation:
- Peel and seed the tomatoes and chop them finely.
- Remove any fat from the chicken. Dust the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and flour.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. When nicely browned, remove and set aside.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and honey to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the whole onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, herbs, and allspice, plus more salt and pepper if desired. Cover and boil for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, pour in enough water to cover, and turn up the heat. When it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and coming off the bone.
- With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables and the chicken from the pot and set aside in a warm spot. Strain the broth. When the chicken is cool enough, remove the meat from the bones and set aside.
- Pour the broth back in the pot and bring back to the boil. Add the noodles at once and cook according to package directions. Add a little extra water, if necessary.
- Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot and serve in soup bowls, sprinkled with grated cheese, if desired.