Porta Pilao (Chicken/Rice/Raisins Baked in Phyllo Dough)

This is a dish my mother-in-law made for years, the combination of phyllo dough with the unique flavors of the filling is delicious. Porta pilao never has left overs, it always disappears.
I made this two years ago, and it failed. The phyllo dough split while baking, this was such a disappointment that I never tried to make it again. Now my wonderful sister-in-law, Karen, who makes it with her eyes closed at top speed has very kindly given me a tutorial on the secrets of making this. She insists there is no need to fuss, she makes the filling the day before, she only buys fresh phyllo dough, never frozen and keeps it in the fridge for up to two weeks. She says frozen phyllo dough falls apart which is probably what happened to me. Also I never knew there were different sizes of phyllo dough ... she buys #4.
This can be made several days ahead.

Ingredients

6 lbs chicken legs and breasts
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups rice
2 cups seedless yellow raisins
1 cup slivered almonds
Phyllo Pastry Sheets #4 (fresh not frozen)
fresh phyllo dough can be found at Samir’s or any specialty store
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
1 large onion
1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons cardamon
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons allspice
Salt to taste
3 tablespoon hot Curry Powder
7-8 cups Chicken Broth

Directions

Wash and drain chicken in 6 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to refresh. Drain chicken and place in a deep pot, cover chicken with chicken broth, a teaspoon of salt and 3 tablespoons hot curry powder dissolving well in the broth. Bring to boil, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface. Lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes or till tender.
Remove chicken, place on a flat tray to cool for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, you may debone and shred the chicken. Set broth aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a 3 quart pot and saute 2 1/2 cups rice for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Measure 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth and pour over the rice. Add 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to boil and then lower heat. Simmer covered until rice is done.

Mince 1 large onion.
Saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil till tender.
Add 2 cups slivered almonds and 2 cups seedless yellow raisins.
Continue frying over medium heat until almonds are beginning to brown. Stir from time to time.

Add chicken and sprinkle 
       2 teaspoons ground cardamon                              
       2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
       3 teaspoons ground allspice
       1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves   
       salt to taste
      Add 3 - 4 tablespoons chicken broth to avoid sticking
      to pan (a ladleful)
Saute for 3-4 minutes more, then turn off heat.

Pour rice over chicken, almond, raisin mixture and mix very gently until well blended. Set aside.

Phyllo Pastry Sheets #4

Always buy phyllo dough fresh not frozen. Remove dough from wrapper and place saran wrap over the dough, do not seal tight. Cover with a towel.
Work fast with phyllo pastry sheets as it dries quickly in the air. Remember to brush
each leaf with melted butter.

We use unsalted butter, but you can also use clarified butter. To make clarified butter, melt butter in a shallow pan, bring to a boil, spoon out white broth from top leaving clear butter at bottom of pan. Or microwave  50-65 seconds.

Have phyllo pastry sheets ready on a wooden board covered with saran wrap and a towel. Have melted unsalted butter and pastry brush by side of board along with a deep 5 quart oven proof bowl.

Brush the inside of the bowl first with melted butter before placing the phyllo pastry sheets in, or the whole dish will fail.
Lay the phyllo sheet out on your work surface, brush with butter all over, fold 1/3 of the dough over, then fold the remainder of the single sheet over to cover the 1/3 fold. Brush with butter. It will now be
Folded into 3 folds like a napkin, brush  with butter and place in bottom of bowl first.

Continue in this way, placing the sheets next to each other so that the inside of the bowl is covered and one end of the phyllo sheet is hanging outside of the edge of the bowl. Continue brushing dough with butter and lining the inside of the bowl with phyllo dough. Be sure there are some extra squares in the base of the bowl. Karen also reinforced the sides with square folds of dough, before adding the filling.

 

Next add chicken and rice mixture to the inside of bowl, fold over the phyllo sheets and put a couple of the remaining phyllo pieces on top. Brush with butter. The chicken mixture is now completely sealed inside the phyllo sheets.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for approximately 1 1/2 hours till brown and crisp.

Turn out of bowl onto a platter and serve hot.

This recipe made one large and one small porta pilau, good for a crowd.