Bisteeya Moroccan Chicken Pie Recipes

MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• Make the chicken filling: Season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper; go heavy on the pepper. Set aside.
• Put olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, saffron, ginger, allspice and cinnamon, and stir to combine.
• Place seasoned chicken thighs on top of onion mixture, add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a brisk simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove thighs from pot and let cool. Continue to cook onion mixture until all broth has evaporated and only onion remains. Turn off heat and let onions cool.
• Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken thighs. Tear thigh meat into 1-inch strips and add to onion mixture. Add raisins and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Chicken can be prepared in advance until this point.)
• Put ricotta in a bowl and add mint, preserved lemon, lemon juice, lemon zest and a little salt. Stir to combine, and set aside. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Remove phyllo from package, unroll to make a flat stack and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Assemble the pie: Brush bottom and sides of a 12-inch paella pan or low, round earthenware casserole with warm melted butter. Lay 2 sheets of phyllo side by side in pan, overlapping in the middle by 1 inch, pressing down in the center so phyllo lines bottom of pan, leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Butter the sheets from the center all the way to the edges.
• Repeat the process with 2 more sheets of phyllo, set at a slight angle to the first layer. Paint this layer with butter all the way to the edges. Repeat, setting the pastry again at a slight angle to the previous layer, so the overhanging edges make a complete circle by the end of the process. Make 7 buttered layers of 2 sheets each.
• Fill the pie: Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with half the almonds and pistachios. Spread the chicken mixture evenly across the pan. Drop spoonsful of the ricotta mixture over the chicken mixture. Top the ricotta layer with remaining pistachios and almonds.
• Close the pie by folding all the overhanging phyllo sheets gently toward the center of the pan, pressing to enclose the filling. Brush more butter over the top and tuck in and smooth any stray phyllo.
• Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp. To unmold, invert pie onto a cool baking sheet, exposing the flat top (formerly the bottom) of the pie. With spatulas, carefully transfer pie to a serving platter.
• Put confectioners' sugar in a mesh strainer, and shake to cover the pie generously, like a thin layer of fallen snow. Cut into wedges to serve, but for the best experience, forgo the fork, and eat the pie with your fingers.

BISTEEYA

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large bowl along with garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon sticks; set aside.
• Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion. Add chicken mixture and enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.
• Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan. Add almonds and cook, stirring until browned. Remove from heat and let cool. Add confectioners' sugar and ground cinnamon; stir to combine. Set aside.
• Remove chicken and all bones from stock. Add lemon juice. Beat eggs and whisk into stock. Cook until thick and dry. Fold in parsley and cilantro; set aside.
• Remove and discard bones and skin from chicken, reserving meat. Shred with your fingers into small pieces (not larger than 1 inch, and preferably in shreds rather than chunks). Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in preserved lemons and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush a 10-by-2-inch round cake pan with clarified butter. Working with 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, place in cake pan, leaving edges to overhang pan. Brush with clarified butter before adding the next sheet in an overlapping circular pattern. Repeat process using 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo and clarified butter to cover bottom of pan.
• Top evenly with half of shredded chicken mixture. Cover chicken with half of almond mixture. Top this with half of egg mixture, then repeat layering process with remaining ingredients. Then take overhanging phyllo and fold toward center of pan.
• With another 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo and clarified butter, repeat overlapping circular pattern. Using scissors, trim a little excess phyllo. Tuck overhanging edges under the pie. Brush phyllo with clarified butter. Chill at least 30 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, score phyllo in a diamond pattern. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. If pie is not golden brown, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and dust with confectioners' sugar and, using your fingers, sprinkle with ground cinnamon in a decorative pattern. Slice and serve.

BASTEEYA (MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE)

Steps:

• Brush a large 10-inch pie plate with some melted butter (or margarine, if you need to keep this kosher) and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil; saute the onions until soft (about 5 minutes), then add the garlic, chile, cinnamon stick, curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon zest and chicken chunks and saute for two minutes.
• Stir in the prunes, olives, chicken stock, lemon juice, and the salt and pepper; bring this to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, without stirring at all, for 10 minutes; then remove the lid and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated; let this cool completely (I'm going to guess you discard the whole cinnamon stick, since it's not mentioned in the original recipe).
• Meanwhile, in a food processor (the mini one will work well), pulse the icing sugar, ground cinnamon and almonds until coarsely chopped.
• Preheat oven to 375F.
• When the chicken mixture has cooled completely, it's time to begin the assembly: on your work surface, arrange a sheet of phyllo (keep the remaining phyllo sheets under a damp tea towel) and brush it with some of the melted butter or olive oil.
• Lay this sheet of phyllo in the middle of the pie plate, letting the excess phyllo hang over the edge; repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo.
• Stir the lightly beaten egg and chopped coriander into the chicken mixture, combine, then spoon the entire mixture into the pie plate, on top of the sheets of phyllo in it.
• Fold the phyllo edges that are hanging over the edge of the pie plate, one at a time, onto the middle of the pie, sprinkling some of the almond mixture between each layer; do this loosely and not tightly.
• Butter one piece of the remaining phyllo and sprinkle with some of the almond mixture; place over filling and tuck in any overhang; repeat with remaining phyllo and almond mixture--Christine Cushing says to do this one by one, not stacked together, to achieve a light, blossomy top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is browned and crisp; let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN & EGG PIE (BISTEEYA/B'STILLA)

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken & remove any fat. Crush the garlic & mix with the salt & pepper. Cover the chicken with the mixture & let marinate for 30 minutes.
• Place the chicken in a large pot. Add the water, butter, parsley, onion, cinnamon sticks, & spices to the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, & simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove the chicken, cinnamon sticks, & any loose bones from the pan & set aside.
• Boil the sauce rapidly, uncovered, until it is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, then add the lemon juice. Lower the heat until the sauce is simmering.
• Beat the eggs until they are frothy & then add to the sauce. Stir continuously until the eggs are cooked. (They should become curdy, stiff, & dry.) Taste for salt & set aside.
• Remove all the bones from the chicken. Then shred into 1 inch pieces.
• Note: All the steps done until now can be prepared in advanced, even the day before.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Thaw the phyllo dough for use later.
• Heat 1/4 cup sweet butter until melted. When the foam subsides, clarify it by pouring the clear liquid butter into a small bowl & discard the milky solids.
• Unroll the dough, keeping it under a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
• Fold 4 leaves in half & bake in the oven until crisp but not too brown, set aside.
• Brush some of the clarified butter on the bottom & sides of a 9x13 cake pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with 2 pastry leaves.
• Arrange 6 more leaves so that they cover half the bottom of the pan & half extend over the sides. (The entire bottom of the pan should be covered.) Brush the extended leaves with butter so they do not dry out.
• Scatter pieces of chicken on the bottom of the pan so there is a thin layer. Layer some of the well-drained egg mixture on top of the chicken. Place the 4 crisp leaves on top of the egg layer.
• Add another thin layer of chicken & then a thin layer of eggs (using all that is left).
• Cover the layers with all but 2 of the remaining phyllo leaves, brushing each one very lightly with butter.
• Fold the extended leaves over the top cover of the pie & brush lightly with butter. Put the remaining 2 leaves on top, lightly brush with butter, & fold these neatly under the pie (like tucking in sheets). Brush the entire pie again with butter.
• Bake the pie in the oven for 20 minutes (the top leaves will be golden brown).
• Shake the pan to loosen the pie. Invert the pie onto a large, buttered baking sheet.
• Brush top of the pie (which used to be the bottom) with more butter & return to the oven. Continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Place a large serving plate over the pie, hold firmly & invert so the pie is on the plate. Serve hot -- .

BISTEEYA OR MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet put 2 tablespoons butter, the chicken pieces, onions, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper,2 teaspoons cinnamon, the ginger, cumin, cayenne, saffron, turmeric and chicken stock.
• simmer gently, covered, until the chicken is cooked, 45 minutes.
• remove the chicken from the sauce and let it cool.
• remove all the bones and tear the chicken into 1 inch pieces.
• bring the liquid to a simmer and add the eggs stirring gently until the eggs are cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• add the chicken, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Toast the almonds in the oven until they are very lightly golden and hot to the touch, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Coarsely chop them in a blender or food processor and mix with 3 tablespoons sugar and 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon.
• set aside and reserve the rest of the cinnamon sugar for a garnish.
• Melt the remaining 12 tablespoons butter. brush a 12 inch pie pan with the butter.
• place one sheet of phyllo dough on the bottom of the pie plate so that it completely covers the bottom of the plate and extends over one side by several inches.
• brush the whole sheet of phyllo lightly and continue with 7 more sheets moving in a pinwheel effect, brushing butter on each sheet.
• spread the chicken mixture on the phyllo and sprinkle with the almond mixture.
• Fold the overhanging phyllo up over the chicken and almonds and brush with butter.
• then continue adding 7 more sheets of phyllo to the pie as your did before.
• tuck all the overhanging edges under the pie and brush remaining butter over top of the pie.
• place in 375F oven and bake until golden brown and flaky, about 20 minutes.
• sprinkle the garnishing cinnamon and sugar over top.