1 Chicken; (2 1/2- to 3-lb)
-cut up
1 Whole chicken breast; halved
Salt; pepper
Unsalted butter or margarine
4 Chicken livers; diced
4 Chicken gizzards; diced
4 Chicken hearts; diced
1 c Minced onion
2 Garlic cloves; minced
2 tb Chopped parsley
2 tb Chopped mint
1 ts Grated gingerroot
1/2 ts Ground cumin
1/2 ts Red pepper
1/2 ts Ground turmeric
1 ts Crumbled saffron threads
3 tb Ground cinnamon
3 c Chicken broth
10 Eggs; well beaten
3/4 c Chopped almonds
2 tb Granulated sugar
10 Phyllo dough sheets
1/2 c Golden raisins; soaked in:
1/2 c Rum; warm
1 tb Powdered sugar
This handsome bastilla won first prize in a March of Dimes cookoff. It’s
easier to make than it looks once one develops the knack of handling phyllo
dough. Pat chicken pieces dry and season to taste with salt and black
pepper. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in skillet and brown chicken well on all
sides. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add livers, gizzards, hearts,
onion and garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, until onion is tender. Stir
in parsley, mint, ginger, cumin, red pepper, turmeric, saffron and 1/2
teaspoon cinnamon. Stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add broth and bring
to boil, stirring. Return chicken to skillet and simmer, covered, about 1
hour, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth. When cool
enough to handle, discard skin and bones and cut meat into chunks. Skim fat
from broth. Pour off 2 cups broth and reserve. Reduce remaining broth to
1/2 cup. Scrape bits from bottom of pan and reserve reduced mixture. Return
reserved 2 cups broth to pan and bring to simmer. Pour eggs into simmering
broth and whisk until soft creamy curds form. Drain off excess liquid, if
any. Stir in reserved reduced mixture. Brown almonds in 1/4 cup butter.
Toss with granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Melt 1 cup butter.
Overlap 6 sheets phyllo dough in circle in 12-inch skillet or paella pan,
first brushing each sheet with melted butter and letting about half the
length of each sheet hang over pan edge. Fold 2 more buttered sheets in
half and place in middle of pan. Layer almonds, half of egg mixture,
chicken, drained raisins and remaining egg mixture in pastry-lined pan.
Fold sides of dough up over filling, brushing dry areas with more butter.
Tuck ends in around edges. Place 2 more buttered and folded sheets of
phyllo over bastilla, gently tucking in edges to form smooth surface. Brush
generously all over with butter.With sharp knife, score top in diamond
pattern. Bake at425F 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Carefully
slide onto serving plate and sprinkle lightly between diamonds with mixture
of powdered sugar and remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Serve warm. (C)
1992 The Los Angeles Times
Yields
12 servings