Moroccan Bstilla Pie (Print Version)
Crispy buttery pastry filled with spiced chicken, eggs, and cinnamon almonds for a perfect sweet-savory balance.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Poultry Filling
01 - 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground ginger
06 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
08 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water
12 - 2 cups chicken broth
13 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
→ Egg Mixture
15 - 6 large eggs
16 - Reserved sauce from poultry filling
→ Almond Layer
17 - 1 cup whole blanched almonds
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
19 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
20 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
21 - 1/4 tsp orange blossom water
→ Assembly
22 - 8-10 sheets warqa or phyllo dough
23 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
24 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
25 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add chicken thighs, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, white pepper, salt, saffron with soaking liquid, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 35-40 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and shred meat, discarding bones. Reserve sauce in the pot.
02 - Place reserved sauce over medium heat and reduce to approximately 1 cup. Beat eggs in a bowl, then slowly add to the reduced sauce while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until eggs are just set and creamy, taking care not to overcook. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Toast almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Combine ground almonds with melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and orange blossom water. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
04 - Preheat oven to 375°F and generously butter a 10-inch round baking dish. Arrange 4-5 phyllo sheets in the dish, overlapping them and allowing edges to hang over the sides. Brush each sheet with melted butter. Spread half the almond mixture evenly across the pastry, followed by all shredded chicken, then the egg mixture, and finally the remaining almonds. Fold overhanging pastry over the filling. Cover with 3-4 additional sheets, tucking edges underneath and brushing each with butter. Brush the top generously with more melted butter.
05 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Dust the top with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon in decorative stripes or crosshatch patterns before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between meltingly tender spiced chicken and shatteringly crisp pastry creates one of the most luxurious textures you will ever experience
- That dusting of sweet cinnamon and sugar on top is not strange at all but actually the perfect counterpoint to the savory filling
02 -
- Keep phyllo dough covered with a damp towel at all times because even one dry sheet becomes impossible to work with
- Do not skip the step of reducing the sauce before adding eggs or your filling will be soupy instead of creamy
03 -
- Warm your butter slightly so it brushes easily without tearing the delicate pastry
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking