A traditional chicken pie rich in Middle Eastern spices, encased in a buttery crisp phyllo pastry.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Servings 8servings
Equipment
Springform pan a large cast iron frying pan can work
2 Mixing bowls
Pastry brush
Ingredients
3cupsCooked shredded chicken
2cupsAlmondsground in a food processor or blender
1tspSaltor to taste
1 1/2tbspZa'atar or Ras el Hanout
2tspAleppo pepperless if you don't prefer heat
6Beaten eggs
1cupChicken broth
2Lemonslemon juice extracted
2Garlic clovescrushed
1tspOrange blossom water
20Phyllo sheets
12tbspMelted butter
4tbspGround cinnamon
2tbspPowdered sugar
1/4cupSlivered almonds
Instructions
Set the oven to the medium heat of 350. Melt the butter over low heat and allow it to remain without bubbling.
Prepare a springform round pan with a brush of melted butter.
Mix 2 tablespoons of cinnamon with powdered sugar, and set it aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, broth, lemon juice crushed garlic and orange blossom. Set aside.
In a different mixing bowl, whisk together the ground almond mixture, 2 tablespoon of cinnamon, salt, za'atar or ras el hanout and Aleppo pepper. Set aside.
To prepare the layers of phyllo, place one phyllo sheet into the prepared pan and brush the entire surface with melted butter, using a pastry brush. Place the second sheet and do the same until 10 layers have been fitted into the pan and sufficiently basted with butter.
Place half of the shredded chicken filling into the pan of layered phyllo sheets, and pat down to make it level. Sprinkle half of the dry ingredients across the chicken, followed by half of the wet ingredients. Repeat the layers of chicken, dry ingredients and wet ingredients. With a fork, gently press down these ingredients making them firmly packed together.
Finish with the last 10 sheets of phyllo, brushing melted butter across each layer.
Shape the edges and overhang, just as you would any pie crust, using a little melted butter to form a nice phyllo dough crust.
Sprinkle most of the powdered sugar mixture across the top of the pastry, followed by the slivered almonds. Place the springform pan on top of a sheet pan, making it easier to put into the oven and remove. It will be a little heavy.
Bake for about 1-hour, or until the phyllo is golden brown. Dust the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture across the top of the pie. Allow to rest 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving, or serve at room temperature.