Moroccan Chicken & Egg Pie (Bisteeya/B'stilla)
"This Moroccan dish is usually served at weddings. An authentic bisteeya has almonds & powered sugar inside the pie & dusted on top. My family & I didn't like the sweet flavor so I omitted it from the recipe.
The first time you make this recipe it may seem overwhelming because of all the steps but it is well worth it. Having a second pair of hands is a big help when making this dish. I got my 12-yr-old to stir the eggs while I pulled apart the chicken. The second & third time I made it I used my pressure cooker & it cut down the cooking time significantly."
photo by Nasseh
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 19
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
-
Marinade
- 2 lbs skinless chicken pieces
- 3 -4 medium garlic cloves, crushed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
-
Sauce
- 2 1⁄2 cups water
- 1⁄4 cup sweet unsalted butter
- 1⁄2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 onion, grated
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric
- 3 cinnamon sticks
-
Final Steps
- 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
- 6 -8 eggs
- 1⁄4 cup sweet unsalted butter
- 18 sheets phyllo dough (1 sleeve in a package is enough)
directions
- Rinse the chicken & remove any fat. Crush the garlic & mix with the salt & pepper. Cover the chicken with the mixture & let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Place the chicken in a large pot. Add the water, butter, parsley, onion, cinnamon sticks, & spices to the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, & simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the chicken, cinnamon sticks, & any loose bones from the pan & set aside.
- Boil the sauce rapidly, uncovered, until it is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, then add the lemon juice. Lower the heat until the sauce is simmering.
- Beat the eggs until they are frothy & then add to the sauce. Stir continuously until the eggs are cooked. (They should become curdy, stiff, & dry.) Taste for salt & set aside.
- Remove all the bones from the chicken. Then shred into 1 inch pieces.
- Note: All the steps done until now can be prepared in advanced, even the day before.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Thaw the phyllo dough for use later.
- Heat 1/4 cup sweet butter until melted. When the foam subsides, clarify it by pouring the clear liquid butter into a small bowl & discard the milky solids.
- Unroll the dough, keeping it under a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Fold 4 leaves in half & bake in the oven until crisp but not too brown, set aside.
- Brush some of the clarified butter on the bottom & sides of a 9x13 cake pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with 2 pastry leaves.
- Arrange 6 more leaves so that they cover half the bottom of the pan & half extend over the sides. (The entire bottom of the pan should be covered.) Brush the extended leaves with butter so they do not dry out.
- Scatter pieces of chicken on the bottom of the pan so there is a thin layer. Layer some of the well-drained egg mixture on top of the chicken. Place the 4 crisp leaves on top of the egg layer.
- Add another thin layer of chicken & then a thin layer of eggs (using all that is left).
- Cover the layers with all but 2 of the remaining phyllo leaves, brushing each one very lightly with butter.
- Fold the extended leaves over the top cover of the pie & brush lightly with butter. Put the remaining 2 leaves on top, lightly brush with butter, & fold these neatly under the pie (like tucking in sheets). Brush the entire pie again with butter.
- Bake the pie in the oven for 20 minutes (the top leaves will be golden brown).
- Shake the pan to loosen the pie. Invert the pie onto a large, buttered baking sheet.
- Brush top of the pie (which used to be the bottom) with more butter & return to the oven. Continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Place a large serving plate over the pie, hold firmly & invert so the pie is on the plate. Serve hot -- .
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Nasseh
United States
Follower of Jesus: I have a strong faith in God & his love for all of us. He is the first & last in my life and it is my desire to tell others of His greatest gift to us...His Son. Explorer: I love to learn about new cultures & try new foods. While in Morocco I learned to appreciate the use of spices. Wife: I'm married to my best friend. Sister: I am the oldest of six children. Mother: My son lives in CA while my daughter lives close to me. Grandmother: My beautiful granddaughter has stolen my heart.
