Ingredients

  • 1 small onion finely chop
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • dash salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 ¼ lbs. chicken thighs
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 3" cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted, chop coarse
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 110 grams butter, unsalted
  • 8 sheets phyllo dough
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
  • Spiced tomato Sauce
  • ⅓ cup onion finely chop
  • 1 clove garlic finely chop
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh ginger root
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon hot paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch cayenne
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 15 ounces whole tomatoes reserve juice, chop
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

1. Sauté onion with salt, cumin, ginger, turmeric, pepper and coriander in a 3 qt heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, broth, water and cinnamon stick and simmer, covered, turning chicken over once, until meat is very tender, about 45 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl, reserving cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken, discarding skin and bones, and transfer to a large bowl. Transfer cooking liquid to a 2 cup glass measure and let stand 1 minute. Skim off fat and discard cinnamon stick. Return liquid to saucepan and simmer over moderately high heat, uncovered, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, then stir into shredded chicken along with almonds.
2. Reserve 2 tablespoons beaten egg in a cup for egg wash. Lightly season remaining egg with salt and pepper, then cook in 1/2 tablespoon butter in an 8-10 inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until just set but still slightly soft. Stir scrambled egg into filling.
3. Make rolls: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450*F/230*C/GM 8.
4. Put 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface, and brush generously with some melted butter. Evenly sift 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over buttered phyllo using a fine mesh sieve, then top with another phyllo sheet and generously brush with butter.
5. Halve buttered phyllo stack crosswise, then arrange 1 half with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 cup chicken filling in a narrow strip along edge nearest you, then roll up filling tightly in phyllo, leaving ends open. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a cutting board set inside a baking pan. Make another roll with remaining half stack. Make 6 more rolls in same manner, transferring to cutting board.
6. Lightly brush top of rolls with egg wash and immediately sprinkle with mustard seeds, pressing lightly on seeds to help adhere. Cut each roll crosswise into 4 pieces and arrange pieces 1 inch apart on 2 baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until phyllo in golden brown, about 12 minutes total.
7. Transfer rolls to a rack to cool slightly.
8. Rolls can be assembled1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Rolls can be assembled and cut 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Coat frozen rolls, then bake (do not thaw) in a preheated 350*F oven about 20 minutes.
9. Spiced Tomato Sauce Sauté onion, garlic, ginger and spices in oil in heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until onioin is softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar and simmer over moderately low heat 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juice) and brown sugar, then increase heat to moderate and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Purée sauce in a blender until smooth. Serve at room temperature.
10. Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered.

Notes
Serving Ideas:Original makes 32 hors d'oeuvres/16 servings


Categories
Appetizer, hot
Keywords
Appetizer, hot
MacGourmet downloadMoroccan Style Chicken Phyllo Rolls. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.