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Kurnik
Chicken and rice pancake pie
Kurnik (курник): southern Russian domed wedding pie of chicken, rice, egg and mushrooms between pancakes
RussianCossack weddings along the Don and Kuban were not complete without kurnik, the tall "king of pies": a domed short pastry crust packed with layers of chicken, rice and egg and mushrooms, each separated by a thin pancake so the juices stay put. Bride and groom each had a kurnik baked by their families, and it is still made for big birthdays and holidays. The crust is crumbly and rich from sour cream; the inside moist and savoury. A common mistake is skimping on the broth: spooning some of the chicken poaching liquid over each layer keeps the rice from drying out. Poach the chicken until it reaches 74 °C. Chef's tip: make the pancakes and fillings the day before and chill them; the pie then goes together in half an hour.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 16 oz plain flour
- 7 oz cold butterdiced
- 5 ½ oz sour cream
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the pancakes
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
For the fillings
- 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 oz long-grain rice
- 3 eggs
- ½ oz fresh dillchopped
- 10 ½ oz mushroomssliced
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 oz butter
- 1 ½ tsp salt and black pepper
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Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Rub the 7 oz cold butter into the 16 oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda until like breadcrumbs. Mix in the 5 ½ oz sour cream and 1 egg to a soft dough, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
40 minStep 2: Put the 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs and 1 bay leaf in a pan, cover with 800 ml water and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F. Lift out, cool slightly and shred; keep 200 ml of the broth.
30 minStep 3: Cook the 4 oz long-grain rice in salted boiling water for 12 minutes, until tender, and drain. Boil the 3 eggs for 10 minutes, cool, peel and chop, then mix with the ½ oz fresh dill.
15 minStep 5: Season the chicken, rice, egg and mushrooms with the 1 ½ tsp salt and black pepper, dividing it between them.
2 minStep 6: Whisk the 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 cup milk and 1 egg into a thin batter. Fry 4 thin pancakes in a 22 cm pan lightly greased with the 1 tbsp sunflower oil, about 1 minute per side, until spotted golden.
12 minStep 7: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Roll out two-thirds of the pastry into a 30 cm round and lay it in a 22–24 cm ovenproof frying pan or cake tin, letting the edge hang over.
5 minStep 8: Build the layers: a pancake, half the chicken, a spoon of broth, a pancake, the rice, a pancake, the mushrooms and egg, a pancake, the rest of the chicken and broth. Shape into a dome.
10 minStep 9: Roll out the remaining pastry, drape it over the dome and pinch to the base edge to seal. Cut a small hole in the top and brush with the 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk.
5 minStep 10: Bake for 50–55 minutes, until deep golden; cover with foil if the top browns too fast. A probe in the centre should read at least 165°F.
55 minStep 11: Rest for 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out or cut into wedges and serve warm.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kurnik take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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