Recipe

Chicken Pasteda

Inspired by combining traditional Sicilian Bread Pies found in Pomp and Sustenance, several enclosed meat dishes from Medieval Arab Cookery and suggestions on cookery from Anthimus, a 6th century doctor writing on food in Gaul.

1	Pinch Saffron
1	Bay Leaf
8	Peppercorns
1/2 t	Pickling Salt
1 1/2 lbs	Chicken (breast, leg, thigh)
2	Large Leeks
4 oz	Canned Mushrooms
1 T + 1/2 t	Finely Minced Lemon Zest
3 oz	Blanched Almonds
1/2 t	Kosher Salt
1/4 t	Black Pepper
3/4 t	Dried Marjoram
1 T	Olive Oil
1 lb	Pizza Dough

Combine first four ingredients with sufficient water and bring to boil. Add chicken and boil until done, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from water, reserve cooking liquid for later. Allow chicken to cool then remove skin and meat from bones. Place skin and meat into a food processor and process until almost a paste. Set aside in a bowl.

Remove the green tops from leeks, quarter, separate and clean them. Drain the mushrooms. Place a pan on medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the mushrooms and leeks to pan sprinkle lightly with salt to induce sweat. Sweat covered until limp and then allow to brown slightly. Deglaze pan with small amounts of chicken cooking liquid to avoid burning. Once vegetables are limp add lemon zest and allow to cook for a couple of minutes to release oils.

Transfer veggie mixture to food processor and add the remaining ingredients.Process until almost a paste and then combine with chicken mixture. Have 1 lb ball of pizza dough at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350° F. Divide both stuffing and dough into two equal portions. Working with one half of dough and stuffing at a time; roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle roughly 16 in by 4 in. Place stuffing down the center of the dough spreading until you have an even, thin layer of stuffing, leaving 1/3 in of dough free all around. Take the leading edge of the long side of the dough and roll until you have achieved a rough log shape. Pinch the ends shut and place seam side down on a lightly oiled baking pan. Bake in oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until done. Allow to cool and slice into ¼ inch pieces to serve.