AuthorJan BouwerA hearty campfire pasta dish cooked in a cast-iron potjie, combining bacon, mushrooms, and braaied chicken breast strips in a creamy sauce, finished with fresh herbs and lemon.
Place your classic potjie on the fire and boil the pasta in salted water until it is 80% done. The trick is to not boil it all the way, since you will add it back to the pot later for a second round of cooking. Drain the partly cooked pasta from the pot and preserve some of the cooking liquid in a cup.
Put the potjie back on the fire and add the oil, butter, and chopped onion. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until it starts to get a nice colour.
Now add the chopped garlic, chopped bacon, and mushrooms to the pot. Depending on the size of the mushrooms and how much extra work you want to make for yourself, you can chop them or leave them whole. Stir-fry until the bacon and mushrooms are cooked.
While the bacon and mushrooms are cooking, scrape some coals from the fire and braai the chicken breast fillets. Season them with normal salt and pepper or your favourite braai spice. Chicken breast fillets take about 8 to 10 minutes to braai, so this meal will come together nicely at the end.
Back to the pot: once you are happy with the bacon and mushrooms, add all of the 80% cooked pasta from step 1 back into the pot along with the cream. Stir through, paying close attention so the pot does not run dry and burn. If at any stage the mixture looks a bit dry, add some or all of the reserved pasta water from step 1, or consider adding a little more butter and olive oil.
Once the chicken breasts are braaied, remove them from the fire and slice them artfully into diagonal strips. Mix the chicken strips into the pasta.
If you’re inclined to add finer details, finish the meal with a drizzle of high-quality South African olive oil, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Ingredients
Directions
Place your classic potjie on the fire and boil the pasta in salted water until it is 80% done. The trick is to not boil it all the way, since you will add it back to the pot later for a second round of cooking. Drain the partly cooked pasta from the pot and preserve some of the cooking liquid in a cup.
Put the potjie back on the fire and add the oil, butter, and chopped onion. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until it starts to get a nice colour.
Now add the chopped garlic, chopped bacon, and mushrooms to the pot. Depending on the size of the mushrooms and how much extra work you want to make for yourself, you can chop them or leave them whole. Stir-fry until the bacon and mushrooms are cooked.
While the bacon and mushrooms are cooking, scrape some coals from the fire and braai the chicken breast fillets. Season them with normal salt and pepper or your favourite braai spice. Chicken breast fillets take about 8 to 10 minutes to braai, so this meal will come together nicely at the end.
Back to the pot: once you are happy with the bacon and mushrooms, add all of the 80% cooked pasta from step 1 back into the pot along with the cream. Stir through, paying close attention so the pot does not run dry and burn. If at any stage the mixture looks a bit dry, add some or all of the reserved pasta water from step 1, or consider adding a little more butter and olive oil.
Once the chicken breasts are braaied, remove them from the fire and slice them artfully into diagonal strips. Mix the chicken strips into the pasta.
If you’re inclined to add finer details, finish the meal with a drizzle of high-quality South African olive oil, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
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