Morrocan Chicken and Almond Pie - Bastilla بسطيلة بالدجاج

Bastila is a sumptuous Morrocan pie with layers of crushed almonds, cinnamon, egg and fowl, a heavenly mix of sweet and savory flavors. It is a dish fit for a Caliph's court, and popular history has it that it was brought to Morocco by the Muslim refugees from Andalusia. Traditionally, this pie is made with pigeon, but this cheaper version (adapted from a modern Moroccan Cookbook) uses chicken and omits the saffron.The authentic pastry used should also be home-maded waraqa, but in this recipe phyllo pastry is used instead. This pie is so rich that it is served as a meal in itself

Serves 8

Ingredients
20-25 sheets of phyllo pastry 
Chicken Layer
1 1/2 kilo chicken
3  cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro) 
8 large eggs
200g butter
2 tsp cinnamon   
1 tsp of each, freshly grated nutmeg, ground ginger, black pepper, turmeric, ground saffron (optional)
Almond Layer 
4 tsp sugar
2tbsp cinnamon
250 g almonds, 
Garnish:
Powdered sugar and Cinnamon 

10 halved almonds

                                   

Skin the chicken, wash and cut into pieces, sprinkle with about 2tbsp lemon juice or vinegar set aside for 15 minutes, then wash and drain. Chop the onion finely. Put the chicken in a pot with the onion, and add all the spices.

Add a 1/2 litre of water and 100g of butter, and the fresh parsley and cilantro. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove and debone the chicken, then shred to small pieces set aside.

Reduce the chicken broth over high heat until you have a thick sauce. Beat 7 eggs into the broth mix well until the eggs are cooked and absorb any remaining liquid and set aside. 

Fry the almonds in hot oil until golden, set 10 almonds aside for decoration and process the rest with all the sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon until the almonds are roughly crushed but not reduced to a powder.

Melt the remaining 100g of butter. Now begin working with the phyllo dough. Keep the dough wrapped in a  towel while you work so it doesn't dry out.

Preheat the oven to 220°C degrees and grease the bottom of an oven-proof dish, about 30 cm in diameter. Cover the bottom with about 6 sheets of phyllo, brushing the layers with the melted butter and overlapping so a little less than half of the sheets drape over the edge of the dish.

Sprinkle a third of the crushed almonds mix over the pastry, then cover with a sheet of phyllo followed by the egg mixture. Press down then cover with a sheet of phyllo, follow with the chicken, press down with the palms of your hands then cover with a sheet of phyllo, and then finally add the remaining almond mixture, dust with cinnamon. 

Now carefully fold in the edges of the phyllo dough towards the center, brushing each corner with egg yolk before overlapping. 

Cover with the remaining phyllo dough for a neat finish (about 4 sheets). Tuck the edges into and under the pie, lifting gently with a butter knife. Brush the top with melted butter.

Bake until lightly browned. Carefully turn upside down, then return to the oven until the top is also golden brown.

Sift confectioner's sugar over the top.

Decorate with cinnamon and the 10 browned and halved almonds. Let the pie rest before serving.

Serve warm.

Ramadan Pastry with Shredded Coconut and Raisins: Kunafa bil Zabib wa Joz al Hind كنافة بالزبيب و جوز الهند

Kunafa is a pastry dessert eaten during Ramadan throughout most of the Arab world. The very fine threads of Konafa pastry are filled with sweet cheese, nuts or even mango. It can be made in a variety of ways, including in individual forms, or in a frying pan on the hob, but cooking it in the oven is probably the easiest when making a larger quantity.

Ingredients:
500g konafa pastry
200g butter, melted

Syrup:
1 1⁄2 cups Sugar
2 cup water
2 tbsp orange blossom water/ rose water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon slice
Filling:
1 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup sultanas or raisins

1cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp orange blossom water/ rose water
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar

Optional

Qashta cream, whipped or double cream to serve

Prepare the syrup by combining the water and sugar and lemon. Simmer for 15-20 min until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Add orange blossom or rosewater and set aside to cool.

Loosen the stands of kunafa pastry with your hands, then pour melted butter over it and work it in.

 Mix the chopped walnuts with, sultanas, coconuts, cinnamon and sugar, add rose water and mix well.

Put half the pastry in a spring-form or loose base baking dish about 24 cm in diameter,  then spoon the walnuts, sultanas mix onto the pastry, spreading evenly. Cover with the remaining pastry, pressing it down with the palm of your hand.

 Cover with foil.

Bake in the oven at 220 degrees for 30 minutes, remove foil, return to oven until the top becomes golden. Remove from oven, place a plate over the tin and turn upside down, then pour the cool syrup over the hot pastry (or hot syrup over cold kunafa). Let it rest for 30 minutes.

 Serve warm or cold, with a spoonful of Qashta cream and a cup of Arabic coffee or  a glass of cold Qamar al Din!