Mediterranean Fusion Dinner: Part I -- Bisteeya

Bisteeya -- Pidgeon Pie

Traditionally this dish used pidgeon's, but today we are a bit more mundane and select chicken. This is a recipe that was the first dish (if I remember correctly) of our first gourmet dinner of the now ancient history Northern State University (then College) Gourmet Club started by Susan Stahl. That first group of eight players remained together cooking meals together 8-10 times a year for a decade or more and then with slight changes for another 3 or 4 years and continued for a few years after I and my first wife left. Not bad, for a bunch of college profs and an idea!

The recipe was a great start because it was incredibly yummy and I pledged to recreate it in individual portions -- it only took me 20 some years to do that, but now that I have, it won't last anywhere near that length of time until the next version. Who wou'dve thought some chicken and cinnamon could be so good -- or, well, as you'll see its a bit of a monster of a recipe, but well worth the effrort.

I'm going to give you my recent version, which became individual 'Bisteeyas' served as appetizers. The original version I was, and what seems to be traditional from the recipes I viewed, a large baked 'pie' that one eats with one's fingers in a community 'dig in.' If you want the 'large' version, the ingredients remain the same -- you can look on the web or in a Moroccan cookbook for the amounts.

Ingredients: Four stages -- this recipe was for six adults

One whole chicken dismembered (I cooked the whole thing, but only used the meat from the thighs and legs and whatever I could clean elsewhere about the cooked carcass. Saved the breasts for something else).

1/2 cup fresh parsley
sprig of fresh coriander
large pinch of tumeric
small grated (Cuisnarted) onion
scant half teaspoon of ground black pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 small cinnamon sticks (or one broken in pieces)
butter (I used a couple of tablespoons, original recipe called for a lot!)

Simmer all of the above in just enough water to cover in a pot just the right size for all to fit snugly until very tender -- hour and a half or so. [Hint: I did this part a day ahead in a crock pot -- really let the spices, etc., blend.] Remove from heat, cool, remove meat from bones -- medium chop chicken and place in container aside, remove cinnamon sticks from broth and save (reduce a bit if you have a lot, you don't need much, but the rest will make a great gravy).

Stage 2:

3/4 to 1 cup blanched almonds [I did my own -- to blanch heat water to boiling, toss in almonds and let them sit for awhile -- ten minutes or so -- cool off and then pinch off the skins. They should just come popping off in your fingers when you pinch the end of the almond. If not, you can reheat some water and try again.]

1 tablespoons mild olive oil or other vegetable oil (Canola?)
tablespoon or so confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp or so ground cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons of butter (less for less fat)

Brown almonds lightly in oil. Pat dry and then grind to a medium meal -- err on the coarse side, does not have to be minced. Blend in sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Set aside.

Stage 3: eggs

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 extra-large eggs

Beat eggs and then curdle over medium-low heat in lemon juice. This makes a very light type of scrambled eggs in a sense. Cook until just done and lemon juice incorporated, don't overcook.

Stage Four: Assemble

About half a pound of Phyllo dough
melted butter (about a 1/4 cup)

I haven't used phyllo dough much in my cooking. Not sure why, but I thought very briefly about whether it would be feasible to make my own from scratch -- didn't. I I know I can't get things anywhere near that thin. Even though I make my own puff pastry, I purchased the phyllo dough -- usually in the freezer section and, according to the store manager I spoke to, almost always found near the Cool Whip -- go figure?

Here's how I worked the phyllo dough: Take one sheet (handle carefully, even the best of us break it a bit, it is very delicate). Place it on a cookie sheet, buttered the whole thing, take another sheet and laid it on top. Butter half the top sheet and then fold the two sheets in half together. Butter the top (now remaining half, fold over to make a quarter of the original size -- same direction, you should now have a long rectangle; butter top of this and then with a very sharp knife cut it in two across the length. This left me with two approximately 5X6 inch rectangles eight sheets thick. Did this twice more for a total of six.

Putting it all together:

I used some one-inch deep small (slanted and fluted) tart pans with removable bottoms. Butter them thoroughly. Center the phyllo dough in each and press down to form a cavity for all those nice ingredients you just slaved over. Press in a layer of chopped checken mixed with a bit of the broth to moisten on the bottom of each mold, then but in a layer of the almonds, and finally the eggs. Fold over each side of the dough brushing melted butter liberally to help seal and make the whole thing that more moist and womderful.

When the are all ready, pop in a medium overn (325-350) on center rack and bake for 8-ten minutes or until exposed dough is beginning to brown. Remove, carefully, (don't burn yourself) the pastries from the tart pans and flip up upside down onto baking sheet to finish off (the chicken should be on top now)and the pastries should hold together without the tins. Cook about 6-8 minutes more, brush with more butter and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Serve. Could do this in a large muffin tin, I suppose.

Sounds like a bit of work, but boy is it worth it. Very, very yummy -- the Moroccans must have listened at some point to the French -- all that butter!

Best,

Joe Koob