Hello, dear foodies!

In Russia we really do like pies, to bake and to eat! 🙂 And I’m not an exception. 🙂

Kournik – the festive pie which used to bake for weddings. It was shaped like a dome, interlaid with thin pancakes and stuffed with various fillings: boiled chicken, fried mushrooms, rice, eggs and etc. Nowdays, preparing of the pie is left for weekends. But there is the simplified version of it, which Russian women cook during working-days. 

 Hope this simple and tasty pie can turn into a family favorite!

So, we need

For pastry:

260-300 gr plain flour

150 gr sour cream

150 gr butter

1 egg

pinch of salt

For filling:

2 chicken breasts

2-3 potatoes

1 onion (big one)

a few small cubes of butter

1 egg for brushing

salt and pepper

Mix the flour, pinch of salt, soft butter, sour cream and egg together in a bowl. Then you need to work on a surface – mix together to form a soft pastry.

Shape the pastry into a ball and cover with a towel. Meanwhile, cut the chicken and onion into cubes and grate potatoes.

Divide the dough into 2 parts, one should be smaller- will be the lid (upper part) for our pie.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it’s roughly the size of the pie dish.

Spread the potatoes in an even layer, season with salt and pepper

then the chicken with onions, season with salt and pepper

Then put small cubes of butter over filling (for juiciness).

Roll the remaining pastry out – to cover the pie.  Pinch the edges to seal.

Make a small hole in the center of the pie (use your forefinger) and be imaginative-decorate 🙂

Brush all over with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 1 hour (190-200°C or 380-400°F), until golden.

Serve with hot tea or cold milk. Enjoy! 🙂

*I used 28cm baking dish;

**Were used 3 chicken breasts and 2 potatoes;

***And don’t throw pastry’s leftovers! Make a small pie, using leftovers of the pastry and potatoes!