Chicken Pastilla
Pastilla is a pie made in Morocco, traditionally from pigeon, and mixed with egg. I’ve used neither here, but instead used chicken and herbs. I have however stuck to the sweet/savoury flavour profile that makes it reminiscent of Morocco and adds to its deliciousness. And after all, doesn’t everything taste better in a pie?
Ingredients:
750g chicken thighs
1 large potato, thinly sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, grated
2cm ginger, grated
200ml chicken stock
8 sheets filo pastry
70g butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
bunch each of coriander and parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon (and an extra 1/2 tsp mixed with 1 tsp icing sugar to dust over when cooked)
40g pinenuts, toasted
40g flaked almonds, toasted (reserve 1 tbsp for sprinkling on finished pie)
Grease a pie dish or line a springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Put potato slices on lined baking tray and spray with olive oil. Bake on 180 degrees fan forced for about 30 minutes till browned.
Cook leek gently in olive oil in large deep sided frying pan till softened. Add chicken and brown slightly on both sides.
Add garlic, ginger, stock, salt and pepper and spices. Bring to boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 40 minutes till chicken tender. Take off the lid and cook for about another 10 minutes to reduce the sauce to about 3 tbsp. Leave to cool.
Shred the chicken with 2 forks.
Add pinenuts and almonds to chicken, reserving 1 tbsp of the almonds.
Stir through the chopped herbs.
Melt the butter and working quickly brush the butter over each sheet of filo pastry, overlapping them in opposite directions. The sheets with hang over the side of the dish. Keep 2 sheets for the topping.
Layer the potato slices into the bottom of the pie, then spoon in the filling. Fold over the overhanging filo, then scrunch up the other 2 sheets and place roughly on top. Brush with melted butter and bake in oven on 180 degrees for about 30 minutes till golden.
Sprinkle with the mixed cinnamon and icing sugar and the remaining almonds.