To Make the Soup: Put the chicken in a large soup pot and pour in the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam as it rises to the surface. Add all of the remaining ingredients and return to the boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 1 hour or until the chicken is very tender and the broth is flavorful. Remove the chicken from the broth and let sit until cool enough to handle.

To Make the Noodles: While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice off the top third of the head of garlic (leave the papery skin on). Put the garlic on a square of foil and drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil. Wrap in the foil.

Bake the head of garlic for 45 to 60 minutes or until it feels very soft when squeezed. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the garlic skin onto a cutting board and mash with the side of a chef's knife to a paste. (There should be about 3 tablespoons.)

When the chicken is cool, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred or coarsely chop (there will be about 4 cups of meat). Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface of the soup and return the meat to the soup.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and toss with the melted butter and garlic paste in a large bowl. Toss with the parsley. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the noodles.

Recipe from "Chicken and Egg" by Janice Cole.