B'stilla (Moroccan Chicken Pie)


b'stilla (moroccan chicken pie) 

Serves 4 

80g unsalted butter, melted 
1 onion, finely chopped 
1 barbecue chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded 
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves 
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust 
100g slivered almonds, toasted, chopped 
3 eggs, lightly beaten 
1/2 cup (75g) pure icing sugar, plus extra to dust 
8 sheets fresh filo pastry 
green salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
Grease a 22cm loose-bottomed cake pan or four 1-cup (250m1) metal pie dishes. 

Heat 2 tbs melted butter in a frypan over medium heat. 
Add onion and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened. 
Stir in chicken, herbs, cinnamon and almonds. 
Season and remove from heat. 
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl, then stir in chicken mixture. 
Cool slightly. 

Cover filo with a damp tea towel to prevent it drying out. 
Brush 1 sheet with butter and stack in pan, allowing some to overhang. 
Repeat, rotating pan so that it's completely covered. (If using small dishes, fold pastry in half first and use 2 sheets per dish). 
Add chicken mixture to pan, then fold overhanging pastry over filling and brush with remaining butter. 
Cover pie loosely with foil, bake for 20 minutes. 
Remove foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until pastry is golden. 
Rest for 10 minutes. 
Dust with extra sugar and cinnamon, then serve with green salad. 

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