Bastilla

Bastilla is a traditional Moroccan dish and is usually served as an appetizer. The exotic taste makes this a favorite!

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron, 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 almonds, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 package filo dough, thawed
• olive oil, for brushing filo

Directions

1. Put the onion, ginger, saffron, cilantro, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and the parsley in a large saucepan with the chicken, not forgetting to season it with salt and pepper.
2. Add just enough water to cover it and simmer gently for 45 minutes. It's best to cover the saucepan to help the chicken cook more quickly.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F, in the meantime.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate, but continue to boil the juices so that they reduce to a thick sauce. Once the sauce looks like syrup, set it to one side for later use.
5. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and debone it, then chop the meat.
6. Mix half the reduced juices with the beaten eggs and butter; cook until the eggs are scrambled. Make sure you stir it, else that could go wrong! Set that aside, too.
7. Toast the almonds in a pan, stirring frequently. The pan has to be dry for this to work.
8. Once the nuts are toasted, add the remaining cinnamon and sugar.
9. On a baking sheet, use overlapping filo pastry to make a square three layers thick and 18 inches across.   Spread the remaining juices in the center of the pastry.
10. Cover that with the egg, and top with the chicken and almonds.
11. Fold the pastry over to completely cover the filling.  Brush pastry with oil.
12. Bake it at 400F for 30 minutes or until done; serve hot!

This recipe serves 6 to 8.