Basteeya (Moroccan Chicken Pie)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small Thai chile (or chile flakes, to taste)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon good-quality Madras curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
• 4 cooked chicken legs, bones removed and meat chopped coarsely
• 2 pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/4 cup spicy green olive, diced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• coarse salt
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons toasted whole almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup melted butter (or olive oil)
• 8 sheets phyllo dough
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (also known as cilantro)

Directions

1. 1

   Brush a large 10-inch pie plate with some melted butter (or margarine, if you need to keep this kosher) and set aside.

2. 2

   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil; saute the onions until soft (about 5 minutes), then add the garlic, chile, cinnamon stick, curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon zest and chicken chunks and saute for two minutes.

3. 3

   Stir in the prunes, olives, chicken stock, lemon juice, and the salt and pepper; bring this to a boil.

4. 4

   Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, without stirring at all, for 10 minutes; then remove the lid and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated; let this cool completely (I'm going to guess you discard the whole cinnamon stick, since it's not mentioned in the original recipe).

5. 5

   Meanwhile, in a food processor (the mini one will work well), pulse the icing sugar, ground cinnamon and almonds until coarsely chopped.

6. 6

   Preheat oven to 375F.

7. 7

   When the chicken mixture has cooled completely, it's time to begin the assembly: on your work surface, arrange a sheet of phyllo (keep the remaining phyllo sheets under a damp tea towel) and brush it with some of the melted butter or olive oil.

8. 8

   Lay this sheet of phyllo in the middle of the pie plate, letting the excess phyllo hang over the edge; repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo.

9. 9

   Stir the lightly beaten egg and chopped coriander into the chicken mixture, combine, then spoon the entire mixture into the pie plate, on top of the sheets of phyllo in it.

10. 10

    Fold the phyllo edges that are hanging over the edge of the pie plate, one at a time, onto the middle of the pie, sprinkling some of the almond mixture between each layer; do this loosely and not tightly.

11. 11

    Butter one piece of the remaining phyllo and sprinkle with some of the almond mixture; place over filling and tuck in any overhang; repeat with remaining phyllo and almond mixture--Christine Cushing says to do this one by one, not stacked together, to achieve a light, blossomy top.

12. 12

    Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is browned and crisp; let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.