Russian Chicken Pie (Kurnik)

Pastry
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked regular rice
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
2 large onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and
finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced dill weed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Prepare Pastry; wrap in plastic wrap.
Heat water, rice and bouillon to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer 14 minutes without lifting cover or stirring.

Remove from heat.
Fluff rice lightly with fork; cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes.

Cook and stir onions and mushrooms in butter in skillet over medium heat until onions are light brown.
Mix half and half and cornstarch stir into onion mixture.
Stir in chicken broth.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in chicken, parsley, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Mix chopped eggs and dill weed.

Spread one-third of the rice mixture in bottom of ungreased 12 x 7-inch baking dish.
Layer with half of the chicken mixture and half of the egg mixture.
Repeat the layers; top with remaining rice mixture.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Unwrap Pastry; place on well-floured cloth-covered board.
Roll into a 13 x 8-inch rectangle with floured stockinet-covered rolling pin.
Cut a 1-inch circle in center of pastry.
Place Pastry over top of dish; turn edges under and flute.
Mix egg yolk and water; brush over pastry.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Yields 8 servings.

Pastry
1/4 cup firm butter or margarine
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Cut butter and shortening into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.
Gather pastry into ball shape into flattened rectangle.