Rappie pie

Step 1: Simmer 3 ⅓ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in, 2 onions, 10 ½ cups water, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp dried summer savory in a large covered pot for 1–1¼ hours, until the meat falls from the bone. Lift out the chicken, pull the meat into large pieces and discard the skin and bones. Keep the broth boiling.

Step 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Grate 8 ⅞ lb starchy baking potatoes (such as russet) finely, a few at a time, and squeeze each handful very hard in a clean cloth over a bowl, saving nothing but the dry pulp. Measure the liquid you remove; you will need about the same volume of broth.

Step 3: Put the dry potato in a large bowl and slowly stir in the boiling broth, a ladle at a time, until it looks like a thick porridge. Taste and season.

Step 4: Grease a large roasting dish (about 25 × 35 cm) with half the 4 tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil. Spread in half the potato, lay the chicken over it and cover with the rest of the potato. Drizzle with the remaining fat.

Step 5: Bake for 2–2½ hours until a dark brown crust forms on top and the edges are crisp. The chicken is already cooked, but make sure the centre is piping hot (165°F).

Step 6: Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Some people serve it with molasses or butter.