Chicken and onion pie

Description

This is a 'poor man's' version of the famous pigeon pie called b'stilla which is such a favourite at weddings and festive occasions, and which Moroccans say was brought back by the Moors from Andalusia.

Ingredients

2 large onions, sliced
3 tbsp sunflower oil
50g/2oz blanched almonds
½ tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
300g/10½oz chicken thigh fillets, skinned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
large bunch coriander, chopped
7 large sheets filo (about 200g/7oz), available from Middle Eastern stores and some supermarkets
about 75g/3oz butter, melted in a saucepan
1 free-range egg yolk
icing sugar and ground cinnamon, to decorate

Method

1. Place the onions into a wide saucepan with 2½ tablespoons of the oil and cook over a low heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for up to 30 minutes until they are very soft and just beginning to colour.
2. In a separate pan fry the almonds in the remaining drop of oil, stirring and turning them over, until lightly golden. Drain on kitchen towels and chop them coarsely.
3. When the onions are cooked, stir in the ginger and cinnamon, then add the chicken, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes, until the onions are a pale golden colour. If there is still some liquid left, remove the chicken pieces and continue to cook the onion until the liquid has evaporated and you can see the oil sizzling. Now return the chicken, add the coriander and mix very well.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
5. Open out the sheets of filo and fit the first sheet in a greased round baking tin about 24cm/9½in in diameter and brush it entirely with melted butter, pressing the filo into the corners with the brush and letting the longer edges hang over the sides.
6. Repeat with four more sheets, brushing each with melted butter first, including the ends that overhang the sides at different points.
7. Spread the chicken and onion mixture evenly in the hollow, then bring the overlapping filo up over the filling to cover it. Sprinkle all over with the chopped almonds.
8. Lay another sheet of filo over the top, brush it with melted butter, then lay the final sheet on top of that. Do not brush the last sheet with melted butter. Cut the longer overhanging ends of the sheets in a curve, leaving a wide margin round the tin. Now tuck these edges into the sides of the tin around the pie.
9. Brush the top with egg yolk mixed with a drop of water. Bake the pie in the oven for 30-40 minutes until puffed up, crisp and golden.
10. Now put the pie on the bottom surface of the oven for about 15 minutes to brown the bottom.
11. Serve the pie hot, dusting the top with icing sugar and then making a geometric pattern in the white icing sugar with the golden-brown cinnamon.