Turkish Chicken And Rice Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 45 minutes plus cooling time  | Cook Time: 2 hours  | Level of Difficulty: Easy  | Serving Size: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken
2 fresh bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 stalks of celery, peeled and chopped
3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 whole black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pilaf
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1 heaping cup long-grain white rice, washed
1/3 cup blanched almonds
3 large sheets of phyllo pastry dough

Egg wash
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Materials
6 x 1 1/4-cup dariole molds or ramekins, greased with olive oil

Directions

For the rice pies

Put the chicken in a large saucepan or casserole dish along with the bay leaves, carrot, onion, celery, parsley, peppercorns, and cloves. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours until cooked through. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 30 minutes in the pan.

Transfer the cooled chicken to a cutting board. Peel off and discard the skin, remove all the meat, and shred it into a large bowl. Strain the chicken stock, discarding the vegetables, and set aside 2 cups of it in a measuring cup. Freeze any remaining stock to use another time.

For the pilaf, heat the butter and olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and mint for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice and almonds and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken stock and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Add the shredded chicken to the cooled pilaf and mix well.

For the egg wash, whisk the egg and butter together in a small bowl. Place the phyllo sheets on a flat surface, cut them in half, and cover with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Place a piece of phyllo inside each greased dariole mold, pushing it into the sides and leaving the excess phyllo hanging over the edges. Spoon the pilaf into each lined mold, pressing it in tightly. Fold the excess phyllo over the top and brush it with the egg wash.

Place the molds in a roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting the molds onto plates to reveal the “veiled pilafs.” Serve warm.