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MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE

The spicy filling is wrapped in filo pastry instead of the normal puff pastry.

Serve 6–8
Preparation time
Cooking time:11/2 –2 hours
Baking time: 25—30 min

CHICKEN FILLING
1 whole chicken
Salt and pepper
Pinch each chilli flakes and cumin
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
250 ml (1 c) Carmién cherry orange rooibos tea (3 bags)
250 ml (1 c) Carmién fennel rooibos tea (2 bags)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
80—125 ml (1/3—1/2 c) chopped coriander
80—125 ml (1/3—1/2 c) creamed cheese
ALMOND FILLING
500 ml (2 c) chopped almonds
45–60 ml (3—4T) castor sugar
CRUST
7—10 sheets phyllo pastry
Melted butter
Ground cinnamon
TO SERVE
Greek yoghurt mixed with chopped mint

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Smear a 20 cm loose-bottom cake tin with melted butter or spray with spray ‘n cook.
1 CHICKEN Season the chicken with salt and pepper and other spices and place the chicken in a large pot.
2 Add the onions and garlic and pour over the rooibos tea and lemon juice. Add the lemon zest. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for abou 11/2 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Turn the chicken halfway through the cooking process.
3 Transfer the chicken to a large dish and cool slightly, then remove all the meat from the bone while still lukewarm. Chop finer as needed.
4 Reduce the remaining liquid and onions till all the water has evaporated.
5 Mix some of the onion liquid to your taste to the chicken meat, also add the chopped coriander and creamed cheese. Set aside.
6 ALMOND FILLING Heat a pan, add the almonds and sprinkle over some sugar. Stir-fry till slightly golden in colour.
7 CRUST Brush each sheet of pastry with melted butter, line the cake tin with 6—7 sheets so that the edges of the pastry hang over the side of the tin.
8 Fill with al layer of chicken, then top with some almonds, repeat the layers until all the filling are used, reserving some of the nuts.
9 Cut out a circle, size of the pan from rest of the filo sheets and cover the filling with it. Brush with melted butter. Fold the outer edges over the top, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with reserved nuts.
10 Bake 25—30 minutes till the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
11 Serve with the minted yoghurt.
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Carmen Niehaus, Food Editor, Huisgenoot & YOU

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