Chicken Family friendly

Chicken b'stilla roll

Name: Chicken b'stilla roll
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500g cooked chicken; 1 hard-boiled organic egg, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons chopped coriander; 1 tablespoon preserved lemon rind, chopped; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron; 1 tablespoon icing sugar, plus extra to dust; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust; 1 tablespoon cornflour; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water; 8 sheets filo pastry; 100g unsalted butter, melted

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by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

This sweetly scented filo roll is based on the Moroccan b'stilla, which is usually served as part of a celebratory feast. Layers of filo enclose a mixture of creamy scrambled eggs and lemony, spiced squab, pigeon or chicken to form a spectacular closed pie, dusted with sweet cinnamon and icing sugar.

500g cooked chicken
1 hard-boiled organic egg, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon preserved lemon rind, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron
1 tablespoon icing sugar, plus extra to dust
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
8 sheets filo pastry
100g unsalted butter, melted

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2.

Shred the chicken meat and toss with egg, parsley, coriander, preserved lemon, ginger, saffron, icing sugar and cinnamon. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine cornflour, lemon juice, stock or water and toss with the chicken mixture.
3.

Lay 1 sheet of filo on a work surface and brush with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top and brush with butter. Repeat with the remaining filo and butter, reserving a little butter to brush the top. Arrange the filling in a sausage shape lengthways along one side of the pastry, leaving 4cm at either end. Fold the ends over the filling, then gently roll up into a log shape. Place, join-side down, on a lightly oiled baking tray and brush with reserved melted butter. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden.
4.

Dust with the extra icing sugar and cinnamon, cut into slices with a serrated knife and serve hot.