Cournik Chicken Pie
Ingredients:
For the Cream Cheese Pastry:
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Chicken Pie Filling:
2 cups water, or chicken broth
1 cup rice, rinsed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped dill
For the Egg Wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Steps to Make It
Make the Pastry
Using the steel blade of a food processor, place all ingredients into the work bowl.
Process until dough forms a ball, 18 to 20 seconds. Chilling isn’t necessary.
When ready, roll on a lightly floured surface to the measurements of the pan you are going to cover plus about 2 inches on each side. An ungreased 12 x 7-inch baking dish works well for this recipe.
Make the Filling:
Bring 2 cups water or chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. If using water, add salt.
Stir in rinsed and drained rice. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
Uncover, fluff with a fork and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms, and sauté until onions are tender and somewhat caramelized.
Stir cornstarch into half-and-half and add to onions along with 1 cup chicken broth, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.
Add chicken, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, mix the hard-cooked eggs with the dill, and set aside.
Assemble the Dish
Heat oven to 400 F.
Spread 1/3 of the cooked rice into the bottom of the ungreased pan then layer 1/2 of the chicken mixture and 1/2 of the egg-dill mixture. Spread on another 1/3 of the rice, the rest of the chicken mixture and the rest of the egg-dill mixture. Spread on the remaining rice.
Place rolled-out pastry crust on top. Turn the edges of overhanging pastry to the inside. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and water and brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Using the back of a fork, make decorative crisscross marks all over. Cut a slit in the center for an air vent. Alternatively, you can make fancy leaves or bird shapes out of leftover pastry dough to decorate the top.
Place dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.
