Chicken Kapama

This is a popular Greek recipe that I have enjoyed my whole life. My mother made it for her family and now I�m making it for my own. This freezes very well, so make a huge batch for future meals.

Chicken Kapama

Ingredients:
1 3 to 4 lb chicken cut into serving pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 can 6 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup water
3 sticks cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 cup onions, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 pound macaroni
1 cup grated kefalotiri
(You can use parmesan or romano cheese instead)

Preparation:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cinnamon. In a Dutch oven, melt 2 T butter and brown chicken until golden on all sides.

In a bowl combine tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and water and pour mixture over chicken. Add cinnamon sticks and bay leaf.

In a medium-sized frying pan, melt 2 T butter and saute onions, and garlic until onions are wilted. Add to chicken.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, 50 -60 minutes. In the last 20 minutes, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and empty into serving dish.

Brown remaining butter and pour over macaroni. Place macaroni on a large serving platter. Place chicken and sauce over macaroni and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Source: The Complete Book of Greek Cooking

(FYI: Kefalotiri is a Greek cheese that is pale yellow in color and has irregular holes. It is a hard cheese made from sheep and goat's milk. Kefalotiri is generally used as a grating cheese and served on top of cooked dishes. It has a strong flavor and sharp aroma.)