Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 egg yokes
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Preparation:

Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Mix in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking powder until smooth.

Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap each ball in waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

Ingredients:

• 1 4-pound stewing chicken, including giblets
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 large carrot, scraped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon tarragon

Preparation:

In a large stockpot, bring all the above ingredients to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender. Then strain, reserving the chicken stock.

Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Separate the meat from the bones and cut the meat into small pieces. Chop the giblets.

Reserve the carrot and cut it into 1/4-inch slices.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups reserved chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon sipped fresh dill (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons cold water

Preparation:

Heat 1 cup of the reserved chicken stock. Stir in the sour cream and dill, mixing well. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Pour the mixture over the chopped chicken pieces, stirring to coat them well. Set aside.

Cook the rice in 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock, along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, just until the liquid is absorbed. Do not overcook. Set aside.

Saute the sliced onions in the 1/4 cup of butter until soft and golden, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the mushrooms. Saute for 3 minutes, until the mushrooms are just barely cooked. Stir in the parsley and the reserved sliced carrot. Drain off excess liquid and set aside.

Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator. Roll it out on a floured board to a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Line a 9-inch springform pan with the dough. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Use one third of the rice to make a layer o the bottom of the pastry. Top the rice with half of the chicken, then half of the chopped hard-boiled eggs, then half of the vegetable mixture. Top the vegetables with half of the remaining rice in an even layer, and then repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients, ending with a layer of the rice on top. (There will be three layers of rice and 2 of the other ingredients.)

Roll out the second ball of dough and cover the pie with it, sealing the edges well. Cut a round hole 1 1/2 inches in diameter in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape. Decorate the top crust with cut-out scraps of dough into a fanciful pattern.

Beat the egg yolk with the 2 teaspoons of cold water. Brush the mixture over the dough. Bake the kurnik at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and continue baking for 25 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden. Allow the kurnik to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan to serve.