Moroccan Chicken Bastilla (بسطيلة بالدجاج) — Sweet-Savory Celebration Pie

• 6chicken thighs (bone-in, skin removed)
• 3large yellow onions (finely chopped)
• 1 bunchflat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 bunchcilantro (finely chopped)
• 40 gunsalted butter
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2 tspground ginger
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 2 tspfine sea salt
• 20 strandsaffron (crushed)
• 350 mlwater
• 5eggs (lightly beaten)
• 180 gblanched almonds
• 250 mlneutral oil (for frying almonds; approximately 25 ml retained in finished dish)
• 45 gpowdered sugar
• 1 tbsporange blossom water
• 12 sheetwarqa pastry sheets
• 1egg yolk (beaten for sealing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the chicken thighs, onions, parsley, cilantro, butter, olive oil, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, saffron, and water in a heavy 5 l pot. Stir thoroughly so the spices coat the chicken and onions before the pot goes over heat.

2. 2

   Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone.

3. 3

   Transfer the chicken to a tray and keep the onion-herb sauce in the pot. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the bones and shred the meat into small pieces.

4. 4

   Boil the remaining sauce uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 18 minutes, stirring often, until it is thick and glossy with very little visible liquid. This reduction is essential because a wet filling will soften the pastry and make the bastilla difficult to slice.

5. 5

   Lower the heat to medium-low and add the beaten eggs to the reduced onion sauce in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture becomes soft curds and no loose egg remains.

6. 6

   Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan to 170 C and fry the blanched almonds for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale golden. Drain them well on paper towels, cool for 10 minutes, then pulse with the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and orange blossom water until coarsely ground.

7. 7

   Heat the oven to 190 C and brush a 28 cm round baking pan with melted butter. Lay 6 sheets of warqa in the pan, overlapping them in a circle so the edges hang over the rim, brushing each sheet lightly with butter.

8. 8

   Spread the shredded chicken evenly over the pastry base, then cover it with the thick egg-onion mixture. Scatter the almond mixture over the egg layer, keeping the filling level so the bastilla bakes evenly.

9. 9

   Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling, brushing each fold with melted butter to help it crisp. Cover the top with the remaining 6 pastry sheets, buttering between layers, then tuck the edges underneath and seal with the beaten egg yolk.

10. 10

    Bake the bastilla for 30 to 35 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp on the top and sides. Let it rest for 8 minutes before unmolding or slicing so the layers settle without steaming the pastry.

11. 11

    Dust the top with powdered sugar and cinnamon just before serving. For a classic presentation, make light cinnamon lines across the sugar and serve the pie warm, not piping hot.