Chicken and Almond Pastilla Recipe
Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour 10 minutes plus cooling
For 6 people
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4-6 boneless chicken thighs (around 750g)
10g butter
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric
Pinch of saffron
Chicken broth 500ml
4 beaten eggs
75g ground almonds
75g dried dates, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of orange blossom water
1 teaspoon of orange zest
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To assemble
6 large slices of filo pastry
60g melted butter
1 tablespoon of icing sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Method:
Start by heating oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and fry until it becomes crispy and golden. Flip the legs over and cook for a few more minutes before removing them from the pan. Next, add butter to the pan. Once it melts, add the onions and sauté them gently until browned. Incorporate the garlic and spices, cooking for an additional few minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, then pour in stock or 500 ml of water. Season to taste, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Once done, remove the chicken and set it aside. When it’s cool enough to handle, finely chop the meat, keeping the skin on or off according to your preference. Return the cooking liquid to the heat and reduce it by half.
Add the eggs to the liquid and cook on low heat until it resembles scrambled eggs. Mix in the peanuts, then add the dates, orange blossom water, zest, and finally the chicken. Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Fan 160°C / Gas 4). To assemble the tart, use a large baking dish approximately 28 cm in diameter. Take a sheet of filo pastry and brush it with melted butter. Lay it over the dish, gently pressing it into the corners without tearing. Repeat with another sheet of filo, placing it at a right angle to the first. Do this with two more sheets, arranging them diagonally.
Spread the filling over the pastry. Fold the overhanging filo in the reverse order to cover the filling. Cut the remaining two sheets of filo to size, brush them with butter, and place them over the tart, tucking the corners underneath. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crispy. Once done, let it cool slightly before dusting with icing sugar and cinnamon.