Stacks of good memories

I dont have much words to type today. Its raining outside and the cup of tea and this delicious stuff on the plate infront of me is making me feel extremely nostalgic for the old college days. Those beautiful carefree days with nothing else to do around except sleeping, eating and hanging out with the best friends.

Todays recipe is dedicated to all the beautiful friends from those days and the happy times we spent together. I still remember us debating over the correct pronunciation and meaning of the dish while making it in my mothers kitchen thirteen years ago and also how we all used to fight over the last piece of it at every one-dish party that we had.

I know, most of you have waited quite long for the recipe. My appologies but had only been ignoring deliberately knowing how overwhelmingly emotional would it be for me to cook that due to the strong and fond memories attached.

Chicken Cheese Stacks

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain flour

1 cup boiled, shredded chicken
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated cheese (chedder, gouda, emmental or any pizza/gratin cheese)

For the sauce:
1 chopped onion (small)
1 tbs oil
2 tbs butter
2 tbs plain flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cream (for lighter version, you may take chicken stock)
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cheese


Mix half cup cheese with chicken, add salt, pepper and chopped parsley and place aside.

Also, prepare the white sauce by heating oil and butter in a sauce pan. Add chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add flour and mix until bubbly. Take off from heat and add milk. Stir continuously to avoid any lumps.

Put the pan back on to the stove, keep stirring. Add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and put aside. Add half cup cheese into it once the mixture has cooled a bit.

Pour milk in a blender and add eggs, salt and flour into it. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Heat and grease a (small size, I doubled the quantity for the one you see in the pictures) non-stick skillet and start making crepes ( very thin pancakes) out of the bater. Pour some liquid in the hot pan and twirl it so that the bater can spread evenly. Once it starts to set, immediately slip it over with the help of a spatula, fork or even your finger tips and cook further for a few seconds on the other side.

We dont want to overcook the crepes. Once it is set and a bit firm, tranfer onto the baking tray lined with aluminium foil and a sheet of butter paper (to avoid foil sticking to the bottom of the crepes).

Spread the white cheese sauce and some chicken mixture over the crepe. While you´re doing this, your second crepe should be in the pan  to cook. Yes, you have to be a bit quick here as everything has to be done parallel. But its not difficult as it sounds. Once the second crepe is done, place it on the first one covered with sauce and chicken. Repeat the procedure until no more bater for crepes is left in the jug. Finish the stacking process with a final layer of crepe on the top.

Cover with aluminium foil and seal the sides.

Bake in the preheated oven (200C) for 15 min. You may prepare the stacks ahead of time and bake right before you want to serve. Ideal for serving as main course with potatoes in red sauce or as high tea snacks.