1. Peel the onions, cut in four and then into thick pieces. Add the olive oil into a pot, and when it’s hot, sauté the onions until caramelised, for around 15 minutes. Strain and return the oil into the pot. When it’s hot, boil up the chicken and fry well from every side, for around 15 minutes. Add the water and boil for 20 minutes until it evaporates and leaves the chicken only with the oil. Remove from heat, strain and let it cool down. Remove the bones and the skin. Place the chicken in a bowl, add the onions, salt, black pepper, clove and stir well.
    
2. In a bowl, add the cheese for Flaounes, halloumi and Kefalotyri. Stir and add the mastic, raisins, fresh mint and baking powder. Add the eggs and knead until they combine with the rest of the ingredients.
    
3. For the dough: In a bowl add the flour, semolina, mehlepi, mastic, sugar, salt, baking powder and stir. Add the oil and rub with the palms until thick crumbs are formed. Add the milk in small amounts and knead until the dough becomes fluffy. Cover the bowl with cling film and set the dough aside to rest for 1 hour.
    
4. Take a round pan, 25cm in diameter, and coat with oil. Cut a non-stick baking paper so as it covers the base and the edges of the pan. We will spread the dough sheet on, and this will help us place it into the pan easily. Take half the dough and spread into a sheet, the size of the non-stick baking paper. Turn the dough sheet over into the pan and carefully remove the paper. Spread it well on the base and edges of the pan. Pierce the dough with a fork. Add half of the cheese on the dough, and then the chicken. Add the rest of the cheese mixture on top. Push the filling from the pan’s edges towards the middle to creal a high hill. Spread the rest of the dough and place it on top, as to cover all the filling. With a brush, push the edges of the dough into the edge of the filling. Bring the dough that protrudes to the sides inwards and close it tightly. If needed, remove some dough.
    
5. With the rest of the dough, make 3 thin sticks and create a nice braid. Encircle the pie with the braid. Shape a cross in the middle to help the air escape, and coat the pie with egg. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 50-60 minutes, or until the Paskia becomes golden-brown.
    

Wine ideas

Paskia, one of the most important pies of Cypriot gastronomy, has a particularly intense taste, with long-lasting aromas from the spices and herbs, while its aftertaste lingers for quite some time. Paskies should be paried with full-bodied red wines that are matured in an oak barrel, and based on varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. Red wines such as a Spanish Ribera del Duero based on the Tinto Fino variety, or an Italian Barolo based on the Nebbiolo variety, can excellently pair with Paskies.
 

We learn together

1. Paskies or Empaskies are traditionally made in the area of Paphos. In the past, lamb left over from the Easter meal was used for the filling, while Foukos, the filling of Flaounes, is sometimes also used as a filling for Paskies.
    
2. We can put whatever meat we like. Lamb, goat, pork, chicken and even rabbit. I once tried rabbit Paskia made by my friend's Konstantinos Hampalis aunt and it was fantastic.
    
3. The secret is to caramelise the onions well and brown the meat. These are the ingredients that will give a nice taste to our Paskia.