Middle eastern Musakhan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and saute about 20 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, sprinkle with salt to taste. Sprinkle salt and white pepper over the chicken, and rub in. Place in a 9 by 12 - inch baking dish, and mix with 1 cup of the sauteed onions. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake for 20 minutes more. Meanwhile, drain and reserve the oil from remaining onions. Add the sumac and allspice; the onions will be the color of cranberries. (Alternatively, use less sumac and add nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.) Remove the chicken from the oven, and add the onions, placing them over and around the chicken. Add more salt to taste. Return to oven, and continue baking for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Cut the pitas in half like a half moon, and soak in the oil from the onions in the saute pan. Place in oven for a few minutes. Let chicken cool until it can be handled. Separate chicken from the onions, and debone it. Put some onions on the bread, then add chicken and top with more onions and the pine nuts. return to oven and bake a few more minutes. Yield: 8 servings.