بسطيلة

Instructions

1. 1 Place the chicken pieces in a large pot with the chopped onion, cilantro, parsley, ginger, turmeric, saffron, and one teaspoon of cinnamon. Add just enough water to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for one hour until the chicken is completely tender.
2. 2 Remove the chicken and shred the meat finely, discarding all skin and bones. Reduce the remaining broth over high heat until about one cup remains. Lower the heat and pour in the beaten eggs, stirring constantly until they form soft, creamy curds in the sauce.
3. 3 Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden, then crush them coarsely. Toss the crushed almonds with the remaining cinnamon and two tablespoons of powdered sugar to create the sweet, crunchy layer that gives pastilla its distinctive character.
4. 4 Brush a round baking pan generously with melted butter. Layer four sheets of warqa or phyllo dough in the pan, overlapping and extending over the edges, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next one to build a crispy shell.
5. 5 Spread the shredded chicken evenly across the bottom pastry layer. Top with the egg and sauce mixture spread to the edges. Sprinkle the sweetened almond mixture evenly over the egg layer, creating distinct layers of savoury and sweet.
6. 6 Fold the overhanging pastry sheets over the filling, then top with four more buttered sheets tucked under the edges to seal the pie completely. Brush the top generously with melted butter to ensure a deeply golden, flaky crust during baking.
7. 7 Bake at one hundred and eighty degrees Celsius for thirty minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and dust the top generously with powdered sugar, then create a lattice pattern with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.