Moroccan Chicken & Egg Pie (bisteeya/b'stilla)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 lbs skinless chicken pieces
• 3 -4 medium garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup sweet unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, grated
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 -8 eggs
• 1/4 cup sweet unsalted butter
• 18 sheets phyllo dough (1 sleeve in a package is enough)

Recipe

• 1 rinse the chicken & remove any fat. crush the garlic & mix with the salt & pepper. cover the chicken with the mixture & let marinate for 30 minutes.
• 2 place the chicken in a large pot. add the water, butter, parsley, onion, cinnamon sticks, & spices to the pan. bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, & simmer for 1 hour.
• 3 remove the chicken, cinnamon sticks, & any loose bones from the pan & set aside.
• 4 boil the sauce rapidly, uncovered, until it is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, then add the lemon juice. lower the heat until the sauce is simmering.
• 5 beat the eggs until they are frothy & then add to the sauce. stir continuously until the eggs are cooked. (they should become curdy, stiff, & dry.) taste for salt & set aside.
• 6 remove all the bones from the chicken. then shred into 1 inch pieces.
• 7 note: all the steps done until now can be prepared in advanced, even the day before.
• 8 preheat the oven to 425 degrees. thaw the phyllo dough for use later.
• 9 heat 1/4 cup sweet butter until melted. when the foam subsides, clarify it by pouring the clear liquid butter into a small bowl & discard the milky solids.
• 10 unroll the dough, keeping it under a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
• 11 fold 4 leaves in half & bake in the oven until crisp but not too brown, set aside.
• 12 brush some of the clarified butter on the bottom & sides of a 9x13 cake pan. cover the bottom of the pan with 2 pastry leaves.
• 13 arrange 6 more leaves so that they cover half the bottom of the pan & half extend over the sides. (the entire bottom of the pan should be covered.) brush the extended leaves with butter so they do not dry out.
• 14 scatter pieces of chicken on the bottom of the pan so there is a thin layer. layer some of the well-drained egg mixture on top of the chicken. place the 4 crisp leaves on top of the egg layer.
• 15 add another thin layer of chicken & then a thin layer of eggs (using all that is left).
• 16 cover the layers with all but 2 of the remaining phyllo leaves, brushing each one very lightly with butter.
• 17 fold the extended leaves over the top cover of the pie & brush lightly with butter. put the remaining 2 leaves on top, lightly brush with butter, & fold these neatly under the pie (like tucking in sheets). brush the entire pie again with butter.
• 18 bake the pie in the oven for 20 minutes (the top leaves will be golden brown).
• 19 shake the pan to loosen the pie. invert the pie onto a large, buttered baking sheet.
• 20 brush top of the pie (which used to be the bottom) with more butter & return to the oven. continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• 21 place a large serving plate over the pie, hold firmly & invert so the pie is on the plate. serve hot -- .