This recipe is based upon a classic Moroccan dish called Pastilla, which is a filo pastry pie, filled with an unusual but delicious mixture of pigeon, eggs, spices and nuts. If pigeon is unavailable, chicken makes a good substitute.
l cup (4 oz/115 g) toasted almonds, finely chopped
6 eggs, beaten
salt and ground black pepper
cinnamon and icing sugar to garnish
#For the Pastry#
¾ cup (6 oz/175 g) butter, melted
16 sheets filo pastry
1 egg yolk
Instructions
Wash the pigeons and place in a pan with the butter, onion, cinnamon stick, ginger, coriander, parsley and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper.
Add just enough water to cover and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the pigeon flesh is very tender.
Strain off the stock and reserve.
Skin and bone the pigeons, and shred the flesh into bite-size pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas 4).
Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and almonds, and set aside.
Measure ⅔ cup (¼ pint/150 ml) of the reserved stock into a small pan. Add the eggs and mix well. Stir over a low heat until creamy and very thick and almost set. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush a 12 in (30 cm) diameter ovenproof dish with some of the melted butter and lay the first sheet of pastry in the dish.
Brush this with butter and continue with five more sheets of pastry.
Cover with the almond mixture, then half the egg mixture. Moisten with a little stock.
Layer four more sheets of filo pastry, brushing with butter as before.
Lay the pigeon meat on top, then add the remaining egg mixture and more stock.
Cover with all the remaining pastry, brushing each sheet with butter, and tuck in any overlap.
Brush the pie with egg yolk and bake for 40 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C/Gas 6), and bake for 15 minutes more, until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Garnish with a lattice design of cinnamon and icing sugar. Serve hot.