Corfiot Rooster Stew with Bucatini (Pastitsada)
Παστιτσάδα PastitsadaSay it: pah-stee-TSAH-thah
Pastitsada is Corfu's beloved Sunday stew: bone-in rooster (or beef) braised slowly with onions, tomato, red wine and a warm Corfiot spice blend of cinnamon, clove and allspice. The sauce turns deep, glossy and aromatic, then cloaks thick bucatini pasta. It is a dish of the Ionian Islands, served at family tables and festivals, and it tastes rich, gently sweet-spiced and savory rather than hot. Its layered spice and silky pasta make it one of Greece's most distinctive pasta dishes.
Corfiot Rooster Stew with Bucatini (Pastitsada)
Παστιτσάδα, Pastitsada
Pronounced pah-stee-TSAH-thah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 45 min
- Total
- 3 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
For the pasta
Method
Pat the rooster or chicken dry and season with the 1 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until deep golden; transfer to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens and smells sweet.
Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and bay leaf and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the red wine, scrape up the browned bits from the pot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sharp alcohol smell fades.
Return the meat and its juices to the pot, then add the crushed tomatoes, water and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours for rooster, or 1 to 1 1/4 hours for chicken, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone.
Uncover the pot and transfer the meat to a warm plate. Skim excess fat from the surface and simmer the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove the whole spices, taste and adjust salt and pepper, then return the meat to the sauce.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the 1 tbsp salt. Cook the bucatini until al dente, reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with a ladle of sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if it looks dry.
Divide the bucatini among warm bowls, top with the meat and a generous spoonful of sauce, and serve hot.
Regional variants
Many Corfiot cooks use beef shin or veal instead of rooster, and some add a strip of orange zest to the sauce. In other Ionian kitchens the spice mix varies, but cinnamon and clove remain constant.
Cook's notes
- Brown the meat in batches so it caramelizes rather than steams; those browned bits give the sauce its depth.
- The stew tastes even better the next day; cool it quickly and refrigerate, then reheat gently with a splash of water.
- Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf before serving so the spice stays warm rather than sharp.
Serve with
A crisp lettuce salad, crusty bread, and a glass of dry Corfiot red wine.
Make ahead and storage
Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; the flavor improves overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of water, and cook the bucatini fresh.
