Basteeya-Moroccan Chicken Pie

Some call it Basteeya,Bistilla or Bisteeya. To me it simply means Moroccan spiced chicken with almonds,scrambled eggs place in between delicate phyllo pastry baked in perfection and dusted with cinnamon sugar. The original recepi calls for quail meat but i choose to use chicken instead. It's an interesting combination of ingredients playing here, the tender juicy shredded chicken with toasted almond mixed with cinnamon sugar,the melting in mouth scrambled eggs and the vegetables all safely covered with crispy phyllo pastry and topped with cinnamon sugar. My kids are not a fan of cinnamon thus, i decided to opt out with the toppings. But if you are looking for a great deal of taste please...please...please don't skip the sugar dusting. I had my personal portion with the dusting and it does brings out the real flavour of Middle East.



Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough
800g boneless chicken breast
6 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp Moroccan spice mix
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup butter,melted
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp grounded black pepper
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
1 onion,diced
1 cup almond slivers
Salt to taste

For Topping

2 tbsp confectioner sugar
1/3 tsp cinnamon powder


Methods

P;reheat oven at 350'F or 180' Cel. Line a baking paper on a bottom of 9' inch springfoam baking pan. Place the springfoam on a baking tray. In a frying pan, roast the almond sliver for 1-2 minutes or till lightly golden in color. Remove from heat and toast the almond with granulated white sugar and cinnamon powder

Rub the chicken with salt, pepper and Moroccan spice mix. In a heavy bottom pan, place the chicken broth,water and the seasoned chicken pieces. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and let it cool. Once cooled shred the chicken and set aside.

On a medium flame, heat a frying pan and add olive oil and onion, once the onion wilted add the chopped cilantro and stir for few seconds. Set aside

Using the same frying pan, Scoop 1 cup of the chicken poaching liquid and bring to boil. Whisk the eggs and add into the boiling liquid and stir. At this point the eggs will started to scramble. Remove from flame

Get all the prepared ingredients ready. The scrambled eggs,shredded chicken,sauteed vegetables and almond slivers. On the prepared springfoam lay down 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brush each sheets with melted butter allowing edges to overhang. Cover the remaining phyll dough with damp tea towel to prevent from drying out. Place 1/2 of the prepared ingredients (the vegetables,eggs,almonds and shredded chicken). Top with another 4 sheets brushing each layers with butter and sprinkle with the remaining ingredients. Bring the overhang phyllo edges over the ingredients mixture to enclose. Brush the top with melted butter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till golden.

Remove from  oven let it sit for 5 minutes before removing the bottom of the springfoam. After removing from the springfoam, cool it completely and sprinkle with confectioner sugar and powdered cinnamon.