Pastilla

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 large onions, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter, divided
• 3 cups chicken stock or water
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1.5 cups blanched whole almonds
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 16 sheets warqa or phyllo dough, thawed
• 1/2 cup melted butter, for brushing
• 1 tbsp cinnamon, for the finished top pattern

Before you cook

• Grate the onions and mince the garlic
• Chop the cilantro and parsley
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl and set aside
• Melt the 1/2 cup butter for brushing and keep it warm and liquid
• Thaw the warqa or phyllo sheets and keep them covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out
• Toast the whole almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then let them cool completely

Steps

1. Put the chicken thighs, grated onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, ginger, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, pepper, salt, and 3 tablespoons of butter into a wide pot
2. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the pot to a simmer over medium heat
3. Cover and let the chicken simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the meat falls easily from the bone
4. Lift the chicken pieces out onto a tray and let them cool enough to handle
5. Shred the meat off the bones with your fingers or two forks, discarding skin and bones
6. Turn the heat under the remaining cooking liquid up to medium-high and boil it uncovered until it reduces to about 1 cup, roughly 10 minutes
7. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and slowly pour in the beaten eggs, stirring constantly so they form soft, creamy curds rather than a solid clump
8. Once the eggs are just set into a loose scramble, stir the shredded chicken back into this mixture and remove the pan from the heat
9. Pulse the cooled toasted almonds in a food processor with the powdered sugar, orange blossom water, and remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon until coarsely ground
10. Preheat the oven to 375°F
11. Brush a 10-inch round pie dish or springform pan generously with melted butter
12. Lay a sheet of warqa or phyllo in the dish, letting the edges hang over the rim, and brush it with melted butter
13. Repeat with 5 more sheets, brushing each with butter and rotating the angle slightly so the overhang covers the whole rim evenly
14. Spread half of the ground almond mixture evenly over the pastry base
15. Spoon the chicken and egg filling over the almond layer and press it into an even layer
16. Sprinkle the remaining almond mixture over the chicken
17. Fold the overhanging pastry sheets up and over the filling toward the center
18. Layer 4 more buttered sheets on top, tucking the edges down and around the sides to fully seal the pie
19. Brush the entire top surface with the remaining melted butter
20. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp
21. Carefully invert the pastilla onto a serving platter or run a knife around the edge and flip it so the neater side faces up
22. Dust the top heavily with powdered sugar
23. Drag a spoon of ground cinnamon across the surface in a crosshatch pattern
24. Slice into wedges with a sharp knife and serve warm