Title: Pastilla (Moroccan Chicken Stew)
Categories: Poultry Moroccan
Yield: 1 Servings

1	sm	To medium chicken
	pn	Saffron
1/2	ts	Ground ginger
1/2	ts	Cloves
1/2	ts	Turmeric
3		Cloves garlic
1		3" cinnamon stick
1/2	c	Coarsely chopped parsley
1/2	c	Coarsely chopped coriander
		Chicken flavoring (if
		Needed)
1/2		Lemon
		Filo dough
		Melted butter
	c	Toasted -- coarsely chopped
		Alm
1	ts	Cinnamon
1/4	ts	Ground cloves
1	ts	Brown sugar
		Eggs
1/3	c	Powdered sugar

Place chicken (include the gizzards, etc) in a pot, add water to cover. Season with saffron, ginger, cloves turmeric, garlic, cinnamon stick, parsley, coriander and several cubes chicken flavoring if needed. Simmer for 1 - 2 hours, until fowl is meltingly tender.

Strain the stock, reserve the chicken (including gizzards) and discard any whole spices. Boil the strained stock until it's reduced to 1 cup. Add the lemon juice. Bone the chicken and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Brush the inside of a square or round baking dish approx. 12" x 12" x 3" with melted butter. Fit a sheet of filo dough into the dish so that its ends hang over the edge a bit. Brush with melted butter and repeat 5 or 6 times.

Scatter the almonds on top of the 6th layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, cloves and sugar. Beat eggs and combine with 1/2 cup stock. Cook slowly until creamy and forming soft curds. Layer 2/3 egg mixture over the almonds and spices. Top with 4 - 5 more layers of filo dough, buttering each sheet.

Now, arrange the boned chicken pieces and the rest of the eggs. Dribble several tbsp. of the remaining stock over this.

Top with another 5--6 sheets of buttered filo dough, tucking the overhanging edges from the bottom layers in between. Bake in a 350 degree oven (mark 4--5) 40 minutes until golden brown. Turn onto a platter and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar.

Recipe By : bloch@wintermute.wustl.edu (Charlene Bloch Abrams)

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