Chicken Bastilla

Of all the Moroccan foods I've tried, this recipe is my favorite. I will admit I really was surprised. I thought the combination sounded crazy. Chicken with cinnamon, scrambled egg mixture, almonds and all topped with powdered sugar? It couldn't possibly be good, right? Not only did I love it, my whole family loved it. My son said it is one of his all time favorite foods. There are a lot of steps to this recipe and it does take awhile to make but it really is worth it. I recommend going to the link listed below the recipe to the source since Cooking with Alia has a video. Watch the video before making this recipe. Oh, it is so good!

Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
Chicken filling:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
pinch of saffron
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lbs. chicken breast
2 cups chicken broth

Egg filling:
6 large eggs

Almond filling:
10 oz. blanch almonds
4 oz. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
vegetable oil for frying

Dough ingredients:
1 package of phyllo dough
8 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg yolk

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over high heat.
2. Add the onions, parsley, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Add the chicken breast and mix. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth and allow the mixture to cook.
5. Cover and allow the chicken to cook for 20 minutes. 
6. Remove the chicken from the mixture. Place the chicken onto a plate and allow to cool. 
7. Once cooled, shred the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.
8. Lower the heat to low.
9. Add the 6 eggs to the mixture in the pot. Mix well. 
10. Allow the mixture to cook 10 minutes. Stir often. Once the liquid has evaporated, remove from the pot and place in a bowl to cool. Set aside.
11. In a large skillet, add oil. Heat over medium heat.
12. Add the almonds and fry until golden brown. 
13. Remove the excess oil from the almonds. 
14. Add one Tbsp of the almond oil to the shredded chicken. Mix well. Set aside. 
15. Into a food processor, add the almonds, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and water. Pulse until the almonds are crushed. Set aside.
16. Brush a deep pie pan with melted butter. 
17. Carefully, fold 3 pieces of phylllo dough into half. Place onto the bottom of the pie pan. Brush with melted butter.
18. Hold another 3 pieces of phyllo dough in half. Place the folded piece on the side of the pan with 1/3 of the length draped over the edge of the pan. The phyllo dough should be overlapping the bottom layer. Brush with the melted butter. 
19. Continue to drape the sides of the pan with the halved phyllo dough. Brush with the melted butter.
20. Spread the egg mixture into the middle of the pan.
21. Cover the egg mixture with two layers of the phyllo dough. Brush with melted butter. 
22. Add the shredded chicken into the middle of the pan. Cover with two layers of the phyllo dough. Brush with the melted butter.
23. Add the almond mixture into the middle of the pan. Cover with two layers of the phyllo dough. Brush with the melted butter. 
24. Carefully, fold the draped phyllo dough over the almond mixture. Brush with melted butter. 
25. Any remaining phyllo dough should be draped over the top of the dish. Tuck any sides inside the pan. Brush with melted butter. 
26. Brush the top of the phyllo dough with the egg yolk.  
27. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
28. Bake the 20 to 30 minute or until golden brown.
29. Remove from oven and decorate the top of the bastilla with sifted powdered sugar and cinnamon.
30. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted by Cooking with Alia.

One year ago...............................I made Blueberry Muffins.
Two years ago.............................I made Berry Tea.
Three years ago...........................I made Steak and Ale Pie.

Did you already know..............................
-The Arabs introduced Moroccans to meat infused with spices and wrapped in a pastry.
-Chicken Bastilla is a traditional Moroccan chicken pie.
-Chicken Bastilla was initial made with fledgling pigeons.

Moroccan cookie butter

I have not tried cookie butter. I've seen many posts about how wonderful cookie butter taste. I know it is rich and decadence. I am going to have buy some and compare it with this recipe. Since this cookie butter is served with dates, I figured I would just serve it in the dates. This way I could more likely get the kids to eat dates. The kids liked this recipe but they told me they would rather have cookies than cookie butter.

Taknetta (Moroccan cookie butter)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup almonds, roasted and chopped
prunes

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over low heat. 
2. Add the flour and mix well. 
3. Cook the flour and continue to stir for 30 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and continue to stir for another 15 minutes.
5. Once the mixture become thick like a paste, remove from the heat.
6. Stir in the sesame seeds and the almonds.
7. Pour the mixture onto a plate. 
8. Allow to cool before serving or stuffing the prunes.

Recipe adapted from Cooking with Alia. 

One year ago..................................I made Nutella Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
Two years ago...............................I made Double Roasted Chicken.
Three years ago.............................I made Peacharine Cream Cheese Tart.

Did you already know..............
-Sesame seeds are mentioned on ancient Egyptian scrolls.
-Sesame seeds come in off white, brown, and black.
-One of the oldest recorded seasonings is the sesame seed.

Moroccan Zaalouk

Recently, I was having some computer issues which hopefully have been resolved. I have been making a lot of dishes which I've already blogged like: berry cobbler, creamed spinach, and snickerdoodle cookies. I have been trying some new recipes too. Yes, I have a few more Moroccan recipes. As my oldest daughter said to me, "You really do like Moroccan food, huh." Don't worry this week will be the last of the Moroccan foods for awhile. I'm moving onto making some Japanese food in a couple of weeks. Back to my Moroccan food expedition, I made some zaalouk which is a tomato and eggplant dip. I really liked this recipe. My children liked it. My husband hesitantly tried it and he even liked it. He will tell you that you can't even taste the eggplant. If you are going onto your own Moroccan food expedition, you should make this recipe. I will say this is my second favorite Moroccan recipe. My favorite recipe I will be posting later.

Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato dip)
1 large eggplant
4 large ripe tomato (chopped and seeded)
3 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
1 small wedge of lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut the eggplant in half. Place the eggplant onto the parchment paper.
4. Roast the eggplant for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the eggplant from the skin.
6. Add the eggplant to the chopped tomatoes and mash.
7. In a medium pan, heat the eggplant, tomato, olive oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne.
8. Heat the mixture for 10 minutes while stirring and mashing the mixture. 
9. Squeeze the eggplant with a slice of the lemon.
10. Continue to stir and mash for another 5 minutes. 
11. Remove from the heat and serve either hot or cold.
12. Serve with some Moroccan bread. 

Recipe adapted from About.com

Two years ago.......................I made Italian Omelet.
Three years ago.....................I made English pancakes. 

Did you already know.................
-Eggplant is actually a fruit.
-Eggplants are related to tomatoes.
-Another name for eggplant is aubergine.

Alfredo

My daughter requested Fettuccine Alfredo. If I'm going to make something so rich, well I think a vegetable should be added. Since the broccoli is covered with alfredo, my husband willingly even ate his vegetables. With this meal, I like to serve a salad. I think it must balance out the meal. Is this dish delicious? Yes! Does it taste like the alfredo served at my daughter's favorite restaurant? I didn't think so but it didn't matter. It was a great meal for a special occasion.

Alfredo
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 tsp white pepper
pinch of salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and saute.
3. Add the heavy cream, pepper, and salt. Stir.
4. Once the mixture reaches a simmer, stir in the Parmesan cheese. 
5. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture reaches desired consistence.

Serve with pasta, breadsticks, etc. 
Recipe adapted from Top Secret Recipes.

One year ago........................................I made Tri-berry Pancakes.
Two years ago......................................I made Chocolate Cupcakes.
Three years ago....................................I made Raspberry Cream Cheese Scones.

Did you already know............................
-In 1908, Alfredo di Lelio created a dish for his postpartum wife.
-In 1914, Alfredo added his alfredo pasta dish to his restaurant menu in Italy.
-In 1928, Douglas Fairbanks with his newlywed Mary Pickford (popular Hollywood actors of the silent screen) enjoyed the dish so well they requested the recipe and other Hollywood elites dined at his restaurant.

Peanut Butter Whirl Cookies

These cookies were suppose to be pinwheels. These cookies were suppose to have a nice swirl throughout. Well, these cookies aren't those pinwheel cookies. These cookies decided they wanted to be different. They didn't want to roll. They wanted to spread. Since these cookies taste great, we allowed them to do what they wanted. My husband told me these are his favorite cookies. Yes, favorite cookie. My daughter loved them!

Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine until incorporated.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
4. Slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Combine until incorporated.
5. Cover the dough and refrigerate for an hour. 
6. Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
7. In the microwave, melt the peanut butter chips. Stir until smooth.
8. Allow the melted chips to cool slightly.
9. Spread the melted chips over the rolled out dough.
10. Tightly roll the dough from one end into the other end. 
11. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour. 
12. Unwrap and cut the dough into 1/4 inch slices or form the dough into golf ball size balls. Flatten the balls slightly and make a criss cross mark on top with a fork.
13. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
14. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool onto a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Five Star Desserts magazine. 
 
Two years ago........................I made Cherry Muffins.
Three years ago......................I made Blueberry Pie Bars.

Did you already know...............
-In England and Australia, cookies are called biscuits.
-In Spanish, cookies are called galleta.
-In Italian, cookies are called biscotto.