Chicken Bastilla

Ingredients

• 1.4kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on, bone in
• 12 sheets filo pastry, or 8 sheets warqa
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 200g blanched almonds
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 large pinch saffron threads
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 80g caster sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, melted, plus 40g for the filling
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 250ml water
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Before you cook

• Chop the onions and herbs finely.
• Crush the saffron into 2 tbsp warm water and leave to steep.
• Melt 150g of the butter for brushing and keep it warm.
• Beat the eggs in a jug.
• Take the filo out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead and keep it under a damp tea towel once opened.

Steps

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a wide casserole over medium heat and fry the almonds for 3 to 4 minutes, turning constantly, until they are an even pale gold.
2. Lift the almonds out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper and salt them lightly. Leave them to cool and crisp.
3. Put the chicken into the same pan with the onions, saffron and its water, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, the 40g butter, half the chopped herbs, the salt and the 250ml water.
4. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 50 minutes, turning the chicken twice, until the meat pulls easily from the bone.
5. Lift the chicken onto a board and leave it until it is cool enough to handle.
6. Turn the heat under the pan to high and boil the cooking liquid hard for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until only a thick oniony sludge is left and the fat has separated out.
7. Turn the heat down to low, pour in the beaten eggs and the rest of the herbs, and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until the eggs set into soft curds that hold together in a rough mass with no liquid running out.
8. Stir in 1 tbsp of the orange blossom water, taste for salt, then spread the egg mixture on a plate to cool.
9. Pull the chicken meat off the bones in generous shreds and discard the skin and bones.
10. Blitz or crush the cooled almonds to a coarse rubble, then mix them with the caster sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and the remaining 1 tbsp orange blossom water.
11. Heat the oven to 190C fan.
12. Brush a 28cm round cake tin or ovenproof frying pan generously with melted butter.
13. Lay a sheet of filo across the tin so half of it overhangs the rim, and brush it with butter. Repeat with 5 more sheets, turning the tin each time like the spokes of a wheel so the overhang covers the whole rim.
14. Lay 2 more buttered sheets flat across the base to reinforce it.
15. Spread the egg mixture over the base in an even layer.
16. Scatter the shredded chicken over the eggs and press it down firmly.
17. Cover the chicken with the sweetened almond mixture in an even layer.
18. Fold the overhanging pastry back over the filling, brushing each flap with butter as you go, so the top is sealed.
19. Butter the last 4 sheets, lay them over the top and tuck their edges down inside the tin to give a neat rounded parcel. Brush the whole top with the last of the butter.
20. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over.
21. Rest the pie for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate.
22. Dust the top heavily with icing sugar, then draw lines of ground cinnamon across it in a lattice and serve hot.