By In The Kitchen With Stefano Faita
INGREDIENTS
Filling
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, chopped or sliced
1 large carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. to 3 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
Pinch cayenne, or to taste (optional)
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (about 1 deli-roasted chicken)
3 tbsp. chopped dried apricots
Handful green olives, pitted and halved
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch saffron
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Assembly
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup mixed nuts such as almonds, pistachio, pine nuts
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
About 1 tbsp. icing sugar
4 to 5 phyllo pastry sheets
Handful of chopped almonds, for garnishing
1 tbsp. chopped coriander, for garnishing
Dusting of icing sugar, for garnishing
PREPARATION
Filling
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. Stir. Add cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir. Cook until onions are soft and lightly golden, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken, apricots, olives, chicken stock, lemon juice and saffron. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
When cool, stir in beaten egg and coriander and parsley. Set aside.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch pie pan with a little melted butter. Set aside.
Add mixed nuts, cinnamon and icing sugar to food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground.
Lightly brush 1 sheet phyllo with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tbsp. to 1 tbsp. of the ground nut mixture. Add another sheet of phyllo on top and brush with butter and sprinkle with ground nut mixture. Repeat process with 2 or 3 more sheets of phyllo.
Lay the phyllo layers into the prepared pie pan allowing the excess phyllo to hang over edge. Spoon chicken mixture into the pie shell. Fold the overhang of phyllo up and over the filling to enclose.
Bake until filling is heated through and pastry is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with almonds, coriander and a dusting of icing sugar.
Yield: 6 servings.