Perde Pilaf

A festive pilaf from Siirt: rice with chicken, almonds and raisins wrapped in a thin pastry 'curtain' and baked, then sliced and served hot.

Ingredients

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 110 g butter
• 50 g (1) egg
• 70 g whole-milk yogurt
• 30 g (2 tbsp) water
• 250 g white rice
• 500 g (2 cups) chicken broth
• 200 g boiled chicken breast
• 40 g almonds
• 25 g raisins
• 2 g (1 tsp) black pepper
• 1 g (½ tsp) cinnamon
• 9 g (1½ tsp) salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Melt half of the butter. Beat the egg and set aside a spoonful for brushing. Knead the flour with the melted butter, the rest of the egg, the yogurt, water and a pinch of the salt into a soft dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Rinse and drain the rice. Shred the chicken, toast the almonds in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes and rinse the raisins.

3. 3

   Melt some of the remaining butter in a pot and toast the rice for 3 minutes. Add the chicken, almonds, raisins, pepper, cinnamon and remaining salt, pour in the hot broth, cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes until absorbed.

4. 4

   Generously butter a deep 20 cm pan with the rest of the butter. Roll two-thirds of the dough 3-4 mm thick and line the pan, letting it hang over the edges.

5. 5

   Fill with the rice and press lightly. Roll out the remaining dough as a lid, cover, fold the overhang inward to seal and brush with the reserved egg.

6. 6

   Bake at 180 °C for 40-45 minutes until golden on top.

7. 7

   Rest for 10 minutes, invert onto a platter and serve hot in slices.

Nutrition

Per serving