Craig Claiborne's Mother's Chicken Spaghetti

Step 1: Place chicken, with giblets, in kettle.

Step 2: Add chicken broth to cover and salt to taste. Bring to boil and simmer until chicken is tender without being dry, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool.

Step 3: Remove chicken from broth and take meat from bones.

Step 4: Shred meat, cover, and set aside. Return skin and bones to kettle and cook broth down 30 minutes or longer.

Step 5: There should be 4 to 6 cups broth.

Step 6: Strain and reserve broth.

Step 7: Discard the skin and bones.

Step 8: Meanwhile, put tomatoes in saucepan and cook down to half original volume,

Step 9: Stirring. There should be 1 1/2 cups.

Step 10: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in saucepan, add flour, stirring to blend with wire whisk.

Step 11: When blended and smooth, add 1 cup of reserved hot broth and the cream,

Step 12: Stirring rapidly with the whisk.

Step 13: When thickened and smooth, add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking,

Step 14: Stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Step 15: If the mushrooms are small or button, leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them in half or quarter them.

Step 16: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet and add mushrooms. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, and stirring mushrooms until golden brown. Set aside.

Step 17: Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in deep skillet and add onions. Cook, stirring, until wilted.

Step 18: Add celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Vegetables should remain crisp-tender.

Step 19: Add garlic, beef and pork. Cook, stirring, breaking up the meat. Cook just until the meat loses it red color.

Step 20: Add bay leaf, tomatoes and the white sauce made with chicken broth. Add the mushrooms.

Step 21: Cook spaghettini in boiling salted water until just tender. Do not over-

Step 22: Cook. Remember that it will cook again when blended with chicken and

Step 23: Meat sauce. Drain spaghettini and run under cold running water.

Step 24: Spoon enough of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart casserole to cover it lightly.

Step 25: Add about 1/3 of the spaghettini. Add about 1/3 of the shredded chicken, a layer of meat sauce, a layer of grated Cheddar

Step 26: Cheese and another layer of spaghettini.

Step 27: Continue making layers, ending with a layer of spaghettini topped with a thin layer of meat sauce and grated Cheddar cheese.

Step 28: Pour in up to 2 cups reserved chicken broth, or enough to almost but not quite cover the top layer of spaghettini.

Step 29: Cover and let casserole stand 4 hours or longer. If liquid is absorbed as the dish stands, add a little more chicken broth.

Step 30: When the dish is baked and served, sauce will be just a little soupy rather than thick and clinging.

Step 31: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 32: Place casserole on top of stove and bring it just to boiling.

Step 33: Cover and place it in the oven. Bake 15 minutes and uncover.

Step 34: Bake 15 minutes longer or until the casserole is hot and bubbling throughout, and starting to brown on top.

Step 35: Serve immediately with grated Parmesan on the side.