Chicken Bastilla

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 small chicken
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron thread, crushed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup blanched almond, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 (9 ounce) package phyllo dough, thawed
• olive oil, for brushing phyllo
• salt and pepper
• confectioners' sugar
• ground cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 put the chicken in a saucepan with the onion, ginger, saffron, cilantro, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
• 2 add enough water to barely cover the chicken and simmer gently, covered, for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
• 3 preheat oven to 400.
• 4 transfer the chicken to a plate.
• 5 boil the cooking juices until they are reduced to a thick, dryish sauce.
• 6 set aside.
• 7 when chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and take the meat off the bones.
• 8 coarsely chop the meat.
• 9 beat the eggs and butter with half the reduced cooking juices and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are scrambled.
• 10 set aside.
• 11 toast the almonds in a dry, heavy frying pan, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
• 12 add the remaining cinnamon and sugar.
• 13 on a baking sheet, use the phyllo pastry (overlapping sheets) to make a square three layers thick and 18 inches across.
• 14 spread the remaining cooking juices in a 7-inch circle in the center of the pastry.
• 15 cover with the egg mixture, and top with chicken and almonds.
• 16 fold the sides of the pastry up and over the filling to completely enclose the filling.
• 17 if necessary, patch any gaps with more pastry, always brushing with oil.
• 18 bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
• 19 to serve, lightly dust confectioner's sugar andground cinnamon over the top.