Pasta tetrazzini

Bamia (okra and lamb casserole)

• 400 GRAM PASTA, home made or ready made
• 300 GRAM CHICKEN BREAST, cubed
• 1 ONION, chopped
• 200 GRAM MUSHROOMS, sliced
• 1 CUP CREAM
• 1 CUP WHITE WINE
• 1/2 TSP CAYENNE PEPPER
• 2 CLOVES GARLIC, chopped
• 50 GRAM BREADCRUMBS
• 50 GRAM PARMESAN, grated

• 500 GRAM BONELESS LAMB, cubed
• 3 TOMATOES, peeled and cut
• 1 ONION, chopped
• 250 GRAM OKRA, cleaned and sliced
• 250 GRAM ZUCCHINI, sliced
• 3 TBSP TOMATO PUREE
• 1/2 TSP CUMIN

Stir fry the chicken breast 15 minutes. Stir fry the onion in a separate pan for three minutes, add the mushrooms and stir fry 3 minutes more on high heat. Add the cayenne pepper, cream, wine and pepper and salt to taste and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce. In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente. Mix the pasta with the sauce and put this in an oven dish. Fry the garlic 3 minutes, add the breadcrumbs and cheese and sprinkle this over the pasta. Bake half an hour at 180 degrees Celsius.

Stir fry the lamb until brown on all sides; add the onion and stir fry 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, cumin, pepper and salt to taste and 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture into an oven dish and bake one and a half hour at 160 degrees Celsius. In the meantime, stir fry the okra and zucchini 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the lamb and bake 40 minutes more. Serve with couscous or rice.

This is a recipe from Iraq, where on the 14th of June, Women's Day is celebrated. Click on Click on culinary calendar for more links between cooking and celebration.