BASTEEYA - MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKEN BAKED IN PHYLO DOUGH

BASTEEYA - MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKEN BAKED IN PHYLO DOUGH image

Yield 8 people

Number Of Ingredients 22

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3 lb chicken, on the bone, cut into pieces
2 Tbs. butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, in the skin , but crushed
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 stem safron (optional)
1/2 to 1 tsp ground ginger
1 teas coriander seeds
1 small dried hot red pepper (optional)
6 springs parsley
2 cinnamon sticks1 tsp black peppercorns
4 cups water
Filling
1 cup blanched almonds
2 tbls vegetable oil
3 tbls confectioner's sugaar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Egg mixture
8 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
18 layers phyllo dough
Melted butter

Steps:

Brown the chicken pieces in a large pan. Do not burn the butter. Scatter the onions over the chicken and cook until wilted Add the garlic, tumeric, saffron, ginger, coriander, red pepper, parsley, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is quite tender. Remove the meat from the bones and shred it. Reduce the liquid to 3/4 cup. For the filling, brown the almonds in the oil. Grind them in a food processor and blend with sugar and ground cinnamon. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice and 3/4 cup of reduced liquid. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and scramble the egg mixture. Brush a large ovenproof pan and begin to layer the phylo. Make 10 layers brushing each with the melted butter as you layer them. Add half of the chicken shreds. Add the egg mixture leaving any liquid out. Add rest of shredded chicken and sprinkle all but 1/4 cup of the nut mixture. Dribble a little melted butter over all. Butter 4 more layers of phylo and use as a cover and bring the edges together to completely enclose the Basteeya. Butter 4 more phylo sheets and add to the top for more cover by folding them under the pie. Bake for 20 minutes at 475 degrees F. Brush melted butter on top. Cover with foil and bake another 20 minutes. To serve, turn upside down, sprinkle with remaining nut mixture and powdered sugar. You can bake for the first 20 minutes and then refrigerate. Then bake the last 20 minutes before serving.