Chicken lasagne with garlic dough balls

Method

1. To make the dough balls, add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook attachment, with the mixer on the slow setting, combine the flour and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water, then slowly add to the flour and turn up the setting to a medium speed to form a dough.

3. Knead the dough for 8 minutes, then turn off the mixer and allow the dough to rest for 2 minutes.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 30g/1oz pieces. Lightly dust your hands with some flour and roll the dough into balls. Take an ovenproof frying pan or baking dish and brush with the olive oil, making sure to brush the sides too.

5. Fill the pan with the dough balls, leaving a 1cm/½in gap between each one. Cover the pan with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until they have doubled in size.

6. Meanwhile, to make the tomato fondue, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Once warm, add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.

7. Add the brown sugar and stir until it starts to melt. Add the white wine vinegar and turn up the heat. Once the vinegar has reduced to nothing, add the tinned tomatoes.

8. Turn down to a simmer and cook the sauce until it has thickened, then remove from the heat. Check the seasoning and add a little more white wine vinegar to taste.

9. To make the cheese sauce, bring the milk to the boil with the reserved thyme stalks and tarragon stalks, then turn the heat off.

10. Place a medium saucepan over a low heat and melt 70g/2½oz of the butter. Once the butter is fully melted, add the flour and stir well – it will form a sandy texture.

11. Add the milk to the flour and butter, a ladle at a time, and gradually turn up the heat as you continue to stir.

12. Once you have added all of the milk, give the sauce a good whisk so it’s nice and smooth. Add both cheeses and stir until fully melted.

13. Stir in the Dijon mustard and season with 3 twists of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning and turn off the heat.

14. To make the chicken filling, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until really hot. Season the chicken then carefully add to the pan and brown all over. You’re not trying to cook the chicken through; you just want to colour it.

15. Transfer the chicken into a bowl, return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and onion and fry until brown, then season with a little sea salt and pepper.

16. Add the garlic, thyme and tarragon leaves and stir, then remove from the heat and add to the chicken. Stir the mixture well and have a taste for seasoning.

17. To assemble, preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

18. Take a deep baking dish or pan (approx. 20x15cm/8x6in) and spoon in one third of the chicken mixture. Next add a third of the tomato fondue, then a quarter of the cheese sauce. Cover with 3 lasagne sheets.

19. Repeat this process twice more but finish the top of the final lasagne sheet with cheese sauce. Top with the grated cheeses and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

20. Turn the oven up to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Place the butter, garlic and pepper for the dough balls in a bowl and mix together.

21. Bake the dough balls for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and slather all over with the garlic butter. Return the dough balls to the oven and bake for a further 3 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

22. Serve the chicken lasagne with the garlic doughballs alongside.