After spending a large amount of time in the kitchen prior to Christmas, the thought of yet more cooking does not seem appealing. Here is a very tasty dish which is a meal in itself. It is relatively quick and easy to put together and can also be made in advance - perfect for kitchen suppers. The topping is particularly good and sets it apart from the usual pasta bakes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

175g pasta shells 200g broccoli, cut into small florets Olive oil 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks 150g chestnut mushrooms, quartered 2 tbsp tomato paste 125g packet of soft cheese with garlic and herbs (e.g. Boursin) 284ml whipping cream Salt and pepper

Topping

8 spring onions, finely sliced 75g mature cheddar cheese, grated 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 50g flaked almonds

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180 C. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and return to the boil. Cook at a rolling boil for 6-8 minutes or until it is beginning to soften. Then add the broccoli and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, heat a drop of olive oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the chicken and fry until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes before stirring in the tomato paste, soft cheese and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring all the time until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

3 Add the pasta and broccoli to the pan, stirring gently until all the pasta is coated. Then tip it into an ovenproof dish (approx. 3 pint capacity) and level the top.

4 To make the topping, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta.

5 Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the topping is crisp and golden. Serve hot from the dish.

Notes

The entire dish can be made in advance (up to the end of stage 4) and kept in the fridge for 1-2 days. Allow up to 35 minutes to reheat from cold.

This also freezes well. Allow to defrost before reheating.

This dish could also be made using cooked chicken or even turkey leftovers. Add to the sauce along with the pasta as in stage three of the method.