A 4- to 4½-pound chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
into quarters with neck, gizzard, 2 pounds lean beef chuck, cut into
heart and liver reserved 1-inch cubes
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and ½ tsp crumbled dried savory
pierced with 2 whole cloves, plus 5 tsp salt
2 c finely chopped onions Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium-sized carrot, scraped, plus 1½ c finely chopped celery
4 medium-sized carrots, scraped 2 medium-sized boiling potatoes,
and sliced into ¼-inch-thick peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
rounds (about 2 cups)
4 sprigs fresh parsley and 1 ½ pound fresh mushrooms,
medium-sized bay leaf tied including the stems, trimmed and
together with kitchen string cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick
1 quart cold water slices (about 2½ cups)
2½ pounds fresh boneless pork, ¼ c finely chopped parsley
with the excess fat trimmed off 2 to 2¼ c all-purpose flour
and cut into ¼-inch cubes and 1 T double-acting baking powder
the meat cut into 1-inch cubes 12 T butter, chilled and cut into
2 pounds lean boneless veal, cut ¼-inch bits
½ c milk
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With a small knife, remove the skin and bones from the chicken quarters.
Then cut the meat into 1-inch pieces and refrigerate.Place the chicken skin and bones, neck, gizzard, heart and liver in a heavy 3- to 4-quart casserole. Add the clove-pierced onion, the whole carrot, parsley and bay leaf and water. The water should cover all the ingredients completely; add more if necessary. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, meanwhile skimming off the foam and scum as they rise to the surface. Simmer partially covered over low heat for 1½ hours.
With a slotted spoon remove and discard the chicken pieces and vegetables and strain the stock through a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth. Then skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the stock. (Or you may prefer to refrigerate the unskimmed stock until the surface is covered with a layer of solidified fat that can be lifted out in a single piece.) There should be about 2 cups of stock.
Preheat the oven to 325°. In a small skillet, fry the pork-fat dice over moderate heat, turning them frequently with a slotted spoon until they are crisp and have rendered all their fat. Scatter the dice over the bottom of a heavy 8- to 10-quart casserole equipped with a tightly fitting cover. Discard the remaining fat.
In a deep bowl, combine the pieces of chicken, pork, veal, beef, ¼ teaspoon of the savory, 2 teaspoons of the salt and a liberal grinding of black pepper. With a wooden spoon mix gently to distribute the seasonings evenly. In another deep bowl combine the chopped onions, sliced carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, chopped parsley, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of savory, 2 teaspoons of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper, and toss them together.
Spread about ¼ of the meat mixture over the pork dice in the casserole and cover with about 1/3 of the vegetables. Repeat two more times, alternating the layers of meat with layers of vegetables, then spreading all the remaining meat evenly over the top. Pour in the reserved chicken stock; it should just cover the meat. If necessary, add canned chicken stock or water to the casserole.
Sift the 2 cups of flour, the baking powder and the remaining teaspoon of salt into a deep bowl. Add the butter bits and, with your fingers, rub the flour and fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal. Do not let the mixture become oily. Pour in the milk and continue to mix with your fingers or a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth and can be gathered into a compact ball. If the dough remains sticky, add up to ¼ cup more flour by the tablespoon.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rough circle or oval (depending on the shape of the casserole) about ¼-inch thick. With a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough to the shape of the casserole, using the lid as a guide. Drape the dough over the rolling pin, lift it and unroll it over the cipāte mixture. Gently press the edges of the dough down inside the casserole making sure to cover the meat.
Seal the casserole with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and set the lid in place. Bake in the middle of the oven for 2½ hours, then remove the lid and aluminum foil and continue baking the cipāte for 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until the biscuit top is richly browned. Serve at once. Serves 12.
