Moroccan Pie

Directions

1. 1
   Melt half the butter in a deep, heavy pan.
2. 2
   Brown the meat on both sides and add the onions. Cook until soft.
3. 3
   Add the garlic, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and saffron in water.
4. 4
   Pour in enough water to cover the chicken, season to taste, cover and cook on low for 1 hour or until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone.
5. 5
   Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan, de-bone and remove skin by hand. Set aside.
6. 6
   Add the lemon juice, coriander, and parsley to the meat juices leftover in the pan. Cook until thickened.
7. 7
   Add the chicken. Allow the liquid to evaporate to leave just enough to moisten the filling.
8. 8
   Combine the almonds, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
9. 9
   Melt the remaining butter and grease a round baking tin, 23 centimeters in diameter.
10. 10
    Place the phyllo pastry sheets on a damp tea towel and cover them with another damp towel to avoid drying out during the preparation process.
11. 11
    Preheat the oven to 180C.
12. 12
    Brush a sheet of pastry with oil and line the base of the pan, allowing about half the sheet to cover the sides and overlap.
13. 13
    Repeat this operation with 5 or 6 more pastry sheets, ensuring they overlap and leave no gaps.
14. 14
    Spread the chicken filling over the pastry sheets and cover with 3 more sheets. Brush with olive oil, and spread the almond mixture over the pastry.
15. 15
    Fold over the pastry sheets into the center and brush with oil.
16. 16
    To decorate the pastilla, brush 4 or 5 pastry sheets with oil, and cut into quarters.
17. 17
    Pinch the pastry into rosettes and arrange on the top of the pastilla.
18. 18
    Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
19. 19
    Sprinkle with icing sugar.