Rockin’ the Casbah with a Moroccan Pigeon Pie

This recipe has been on my bucket list since January 1, when I set out to try to make new things.  However, the true inspiration came about a year ago during a day in Tangier, walking the narrow streets of the Casbah with the one and only Mustapha (“Mr. Coca Cola” because like Coca Cola, his face is recognized all over the world).

Mustapha’s strategy at the ferry port was wise, holding back while I angrily told off each aggressive guide that came our way and then gently explaining that really, we need a guide if we are to navigate the Casbah safely.  He also offered a low enough price that regardless of whether I necessarily agreed with this assessment, the taxi ride up the hill alone was practically worth the cost.  Mustapha seemed to be friends with everyone we passed in the streets and with his infectious smile and jovial demeanor we could tell why he would be.

Did he have special arrangements with the owner of the rug shop, the snake tamer and the man selling pottery?  Of course he did, but his company was such that we enjoyed every moment of the tourist pits.  And when I bargained mercilessly for the blue jeweled plate, which still hangs in our living room, until the merchant muttered “my family needs to eat!” before sighing and wrapping the plate… or when I was ready to leave the rug shop just as soon as I used the bathroom and finished my free mint tea… Mustapha said “it’s OK if you don’t buy, I make money another day”.  C’est la vie.

It was during our lunch break, at a restaurant owned by yet another friend of Mustapha, that we had this pastilla (also, bastilla, bisteeya, or “pigeon pie”).

Now more often made using chicken, this is a sweet and savory dish that combines almonds, eggs, and shredded meat in a flaky pastry crust.  The first thing you should know before you attempt this dish, is that it’s dish is a labor of love.  It takes at least two hours, if you’re well-prepared and use a food processor.  I recommend making it with a sous chef. Or with someone polite enough to only laugh a little bit as you frantically scamper in circles around the kitchen and to then calmly take over the more difficult tasks (chopping onions, shredding chicken), all while still letting you feel like you made the meal.

I also recommend that while you eat it, you pretend you’re in a street side cafe in the Casbah, listening to Moroccan music played by men who stare at you just often enough to make it clear that they really do expect a tip when you’re done with your meal.

Pastilla (Moroccan “Pigeon” Pie) 

From Pete Bakes!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 cinnamon stick
• salt and pepper
• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup almonds
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 package phyllo dough, thawed
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:

To Prep: Finely dice onion and garlic; grate ginger; chop parsley and cilantro.

1. Place chicken breasts in a large saucepan and pour in just enough broth to cover them. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cilantro, parsley, cinnamon stick and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast almonds with a few drops of vegetable oil, then mix in a food processor with sugar and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Remove chicken from the stock and set aside to cool. Severely reduce the stock to a thick sauce. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then cook in a skillet with 1/3 cup of the thickened broth. They should reach a scrambled egg consistency but should not be wet. Set aside.

4. Once the chicken has cooled, shred it. Add the shredded chicken to the egg mixture. Make sure this mixture is not too wet or it will soak through the phyllo dough.

5. In a greased (oven proof) cast iron skillet or large round pan, layer 6 sheets of phylo, brushing each layer with melted butter.  The sheets should drape over the sides of the pan. Fold 2 sheets of phyllo in half and place in the center for stability.

6. Sprinkle half of the almond mixture down in the middle of the pan, shaping into a rough circle with your hands. Lay the shredded chicken and egg mixture down and top with the remaining almond mixture.  Fold another 2 sheets of phyllo in half and place on top.

7. Fold the overlapped phyllo from the bottom over the top pie.  Brush with melted butter to make sure everything sticks together.  Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes, until the phyllo is brown and crisp.

8. Very carefully invert- I did so by flipping into a slightly larger skillet and then onto a large plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and decorate with remaining ground cinnamon.

Johanna