BARK INSTRUCTIONS
:
In a food processor, combine flour, butter, parmesan, and salt. Press until the mixture resembles fine gravel. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form a disc
.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use
.
For roast chicken:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place a grilling rack inside a roasting sheet.
In a large bowl, spread the chicken with olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Place the chicken on the grill rack.
Roast until the skin is golden and crispy and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool.
When it is cold enough to handle, remove the skin from your thighs. Remove the meat from the bones and tear it into bite-sized pieces (discard the bones or use them as broth).
Reserve 4 cups of meat and reserve the rest for later use (chicken salad, BBQ chicken sandwiches, chicken noodle soup).
For the filling:
In a Dutch oven or in a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the carrots, fennel and parsnip and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are brightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes
.
Add the garlic and, when fragrant, add the flour. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes.
Pour the sherry and scrape off the pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan. When the liquid has almost evaporated, add the broth and milk. Cook until thick, about 10 minutes, or until the sauce covers the back of a spoon. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth.
Remove from heat, add the 4 reserved cups of shredded chicken, peas, parsley and thyme. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease six pans or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough in a rectangle 1/4 inch thick, about 15 inches long and 11 inch wide. If you use individual molds, cut 6 circles that are 1 inch larger in circumference than the molds. If you use a single baking dish, cut the dough to that shape, leaving an extra inch around all sides.
Pour the filling
into the pans or baking dish
.
Place the dough over the filling and cut it 1/2 inch off the edge of the plate. Bend the cantilever under itself to create a lip around the edge of the plate and use your fingers to flute the edges. Cut a 1-inch vent hole into a small cake or four to six 1-inch vent holes into a large cake.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Lightly brush the bark(s) with egg washing.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles, about 60 minutes for large cakes, 45 to 50 minutes for small cakes. Serve immediately.
