Chicken & Pilaf in Pastry

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (100gr) butter, melted
• 1.1/2 large yufka sheets or 6 sheets of phyllo pastry
• 2 cups (400gr) of cooked rice
• 3 medium size carrots, diced, boiled and salted
• 1 cup (100gr) cooked peas, drained and salted
• 1 cup (60gr) finely chopped dill
• 2 lbs (900gr) chicken, boiled and cut into very small pieces and salted

Directions

(8 servings)

Butter a 12 inch (30cm) round oven proof dish, preferably having a non-stick surface. Line dish with one sheet of pastry hanging over the rim of the dish. Brush butter generously over the surface. Cut 2 pieces from the 1/2 yufka as big as the oven dish. Place one of them over the first layer. Brush the surface with butter, and save the other to put on top of the dish.

If phyllo pastry is used, butter a 10×14 inch oven dish, arrange 4 sheets to line the dish. They have to be on top of each other in the dish and hanging over the sides of the dish. For the second and top layers use 2 more sheets.

Arrange rice, carrots, peas, dill and chicken in layers in the pastry-lined dish. Cover top with the remaining pastry, brush with butter. Fold in overhanging first layer of pastry to cover and seal the rice and chicken mixture. Butter top. Bake in moderate oven until top and bottom are golden brown. Remove from oven. Put aside for 5 minutes. Turn it upside down onto a round serving plate. Cut the crust the way pies are cut.

Serve hot as main course with salad.

“Turkish Cooking” by Gülseren Ramazanoğu