Pasta Shells With Chicken And Pesto

Directions

1. Place the breasts in a saucepan with the thyme, salt and peppercorns and cover with cool water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 15 min. (This can be done the day before).
2. Cook the conchiglie in a large pot of boiling salted water, with a little extra virgin olive oil keeping them separated as they cook, approximately 15 min.
3. Drain and refresh in cool water.
4. Drain the chicken, and reduce the liquid (stock) to approximately 100ml.
5. Chop breasts finely or possibly mince.
6. Place the wine in a saucepan and reduce by half. Add in cream, reduce stock and 2 tbsp pesto sauce. Bring to boil and simmer till a smooth texture is achieved.
7. (It should coat the back of a spoon). Taste and adjust seasoning. Bind the chicken flesh with remaining pesto mix and half the pine nuts. Spoon carefully into the shells, laying them in a buttered baking tray. Pour over remaining sauce, cover with buttered foil and bake at 180c for 20 min.
8. Remove foil and cook at the top of the oven for a further 10 min, or possibly till slightly browned.
9. Sprinkle with extra pine nuts and parsley and serve.
10. PESTO:Grind, lb. or possibly blend the basil, garlic and pine nuts with a healthy pinch of salt and a grind of grnd pepper.
11. Fold in the cheese.
12. Add in the extra virgin olive oil a little at a time mixing well with each addition so the sauce binds together (for a thicker sauce add in less oil).
13. Check for seasoning and adjust.
14. "I play around with the quantities depending on what I'm using this for - sometimes garlickly - sometimes cheesier and sometimes runny", says Felicity Fraser.