Empada (Portuguese Chicken Pie)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Chicken, cut into pieces (Originally '1 half fowl'. Use bone-in pieces for best flavor.)
• 1/2 pound Potatoes (Originally '0.25 seer'.)
• 1/4 pound Butter (For the filling. Originally '0.25 lb'.)
• 1/2 pound Onions, finely chopped (Originally '0.25 seer'.)
• 4 tablespoons Cabbage or Cauliflower Pickle (Piccalilli or Indian Achar) (Originally '4 tolas'. Use a vinegar-based vegetable pickle, drained of excess vinegar.)
• 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger (Originally '0.5 tola'. Slice into fine strips.)
• 6 cloves Garlic cloves (Slice into fine strips.)
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick (Originally '5 val' (approx 2g). Break into small pieces.)
• 8 pods Green cardamom pods
• 8 cloves Whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste.)
• 1 tablespoon Sugar (Heaping tablespoon.)
• 4 eggs Hard-boiled eggs (Peeled.)
• 1/2 pound Fine Semolina (Rava) (For the crust.)
• 1/4 pound Butter (For the crust. Softened.)
• 1/4 cup Powdered sugar (Originally '5 tolas'.)
• 3 yolks Egg yolks (For the crust.)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (For the crust.)
• 2 tablespoons Milk (Estimated quantity. Use just enough to bind the dough.)
• 2 tablespoons Wheat flour (For dusting and rolling.)

Instructions

1. 1Clean and cut the chicken into pieces. Parboil the potatoes just until the skins can be easily peeled; peel them while warm and cut lengthwise into quarters. Peel the ginger and garlic and slice them into fine strips. Remove the pickle from its vinegar, weigh out the required amount, chop it finely, and set aside in a covered cup.
2. 2Heat the butter (for filling) in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring constantly, until they turn a pale brown color. Add the sliced ginger and garlic and continue to sauté until the mixture turns red/golden and becomes aromatic.
3. 3Add the chicken pieces and salt to the pot, mixing well with a spoon. Pour in about 2 cups of water (approx 0.5 seer). Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and the quartered potatoes. Cover and simmer on low heat. Once the potatoes are cooked through, carefully remove them from the pot to prevent them from breaking apart. Continue cooking the chicken until it is tender and the water has mostly evaporated. If the water dries up before the chicken is tender, add small amounts of water (using the lid-water technique if desired) until the chicken is soft.
4. 4When the chicken is completely tender and about 1 cup (1 pa-sher) of thick gravy remains, stir in the sugar and the chopped pickle. Remove from heat. Carefully fold in the cooked potatoes and the hard-boiled eggs (quartered or whole), taking care not to break them.
5. 5In a bowl, mix the crust butter, egg yolks, powdered sugar, and salt thoroughly. Add the semolina and mix. Add just enough milk to bind the mixture into a dough. Do not knead heavily; handle it lightly to preserve the grainy texture of the semolina (kneading too much will make it like flour paste). Form into a smooth ball.
6. 6Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Dust a board with wheat flour. Roll out the semolina dough to a thickness that will cover your pie dish. Place the pie dish upside down on the dough and cut around the rim to get the exact size. Transfer the chicken filling (with gravy, potatoes, and eggs) into the pie dish, arranging it neatly so nothing protrudes above the rim. Carefully lift the rolled crust and place it over the dish. Seal the edges and trim any excess. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is a beautiful golden brown.