INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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  Posted to
MasterCook Digest by Nancy Berry <nlberry@prodigy.net> on  Mar 17,
1999, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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