Italian Chicken & Butternut Pie

Taste the Mediterranean in this warming, no pastry pie.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 6  boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered
• 5  ounces pancetta or 5  ounces streaky bacon, cubed
• 1  butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1in cubes (2lb)
• 1  large onion, thinly sliced
• 1  garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1  teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1  cup red wine
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 ounce)  canned Italian tomatoes
• 2  tablespoons cranberry jelly
• 1  ciabatta
•  black pepper
• 3  tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large flameproof casserole and cook the chicken over a medium to high heat until lightly browned.
2. Lift out on to a plate with a slotted spoon. Tip the pancetta, squash and onion into the pan and cook over a high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown.
3. Return the chicken to the pan, add the garlic and marjoram and cook for 1 minute. Keep back 2 tbsp of the wine then pour the rest into the pan and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
4. Blend the flour with the reserved wine until smooth. Stir this into the pan with the tomatoes and their juice, the jelly and some salt and pepper. Lower the heat, half-cover with a lid and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until the squash is just tender.
5. (To prepare ahead, cool then chill at this point up to a day before. You can also freeze it for up to a month. To serve, heat through in the casserole, then continue with step 3.)
6. Preheat the oven to 425°F Cut the ciabatta into very thin slices and arrange on top of the casserole, so they casually overlap.
7. Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the ciabatta and sprinkle with the parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper.
8. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve straight from the casserole.