The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Part 5

Remove any skin that has formed on the surface of the milk. Beat the activator or plain yogurt in a large gla.s.s or earthenware bowl until it is quite liquid. Add a few tablespoons of the hot milk, one at a time, beating vigorously between all the additions. Then add the rest of the milk slowly, beating constantly, until thoroughly mixed.

Cover the bowl with a large plate or with plastic wrap. Wrap the whole bowl in a woolen blanket or shawl and leave it undisturbed in a warm place, such as an airing cupboard, for at least 8 hours or overnight. It should then be ready, thick like a creamy custard. Do not leave the bowl in the warmth too long, or the yogurt will become too sour.

As soon as the yogurt is ready, you can cool it in the refrigerator. It will keep for a week, but it is preferable to make a new batch every 4 days, using some of the previous one as an activator. This will ensure a constant supply of sweet, fresh-tasting yogurt.

For a Thicker, Creamy, Strained or Drained Yogurt Pour the yogurt into a sieve or colander lined with damp muslin or cheesecloth and let it drain for 3-4 hours, until it is the consistency of thick heavy cream.

Labneh Yogurt Cheese Strained or drained yogurt becomes a creamy soft cheese which is served as a snack, for breakfast, or as a mezze, usually accompanied by olives, cuc.u.mbers, and mint. You can buy it rolled into little b.a.l.l.s and preserved in olive oil. To make it, mix in -1 teaspoons salt per quart of yogurt. Pour the yogurt into a sieve or colander lined with damp muslin or cheesecloth and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator. (In the Arab world they tie the corners of the cloth together and suspend the bundle over a bowl or the sink.) The whey will drain away, leaving a soft, creamy white curd cheese. teaspoons salt per quart of yogurt. Pour the yogurt into a sieve or colander lined with damp muslin or cheesecloth and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator. (In the Arab world they tie the corners of the cloth together and suspend the bundle over a bowl or the sink.) The whey will drain away, leaving a soft, creamy white curd cheese.

Serving Labneh * Eat it as it is or stir in a little extra-virgin olive oil, pepper or paprika, and, if you like, some chopped fresh mint or dill.

* In Syria they like to spread this on an opened-up piece of pita bread and roll it up to eat it. They call it arus arus-the bride.

* You can also serve labneh labneh as a sweet, with honey and a dusting of cinnamon. In that case do not add salt to the yogurt. as a sweet, with honey and a dusting of cinnamon. In that case do not add salt to the yogurt.

* A lovely salad is made by mixing in a variety of raw and finely chopped vegetables such as cuc.u.mber, celery, scallions, and sweet or chili peppers.

* A very popular way of serving labneh labneh is rolled into little b.a.l.l.s. For this you must let the thickened yogurt drain for 2 days, until it is quite firm. Sprinkle the b.a.l.l.s with olive oil and paprika. You can also keep the b.a.l.l.s preserved in oil in a gla.s.s jar. is rolled into little b.a.l.l.s. For this you must let the thickened yogurt drain for 2 days, until it is quite firm. Sprinkle the b.a.l.l.s with olive oil and paprika. You can also keep the b.a.l.l.s preserved in oil in a gla.s.s jar.

To "Stabilize" Yogurt for Cooking Many Middle Eastern dishes call for yogurt as a cooking liquid or sauce which needs to be cooked-boiled or simmered-rather than just heated. Salted goat's milk yogurt, which was used in similar recipes in olden times, can be cooked without curdling, which explains why medieval recipes do not give any indication of ways of preventing yogurt from curdling. Cooking, however, causes yogurt made with cow's milk to curdle, and stabilizers such as cornstarch or egg white are required to prevent this.

1 quart plain whole-milk yogurt 1 egg white, lightly beaten, or 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with a little cold water or milk teaspoon salt Beat the yogurt in a large saucepan until it is liquid. Add the egg white, or the cornstarch mixed to a light paste with water or milk, and a little salt, and beat well.

Bring to the boil slowly, stirring constantly in one direction only in one direction only with a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat to as low as possible and let the yogurt barely simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until it has acquired a thick, rich consistency. Do not cover the pan with a lid, since a drop of steam falling back into the yogurt could ruin it. with a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat to as low as possible and let the yogurt barely simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until it has acquired a thick, rich consistency. Do not cover the pan with a lid, since a drop of steam falling back into the yogurt could ruin it.

The yogurt can now be cooked with other ingredients such as meat or vegetables with no danger of curdling.

The same process can be carried out successfully after the yogurt has been mixed with other ingredients.

Gebna Beida White Cheese It's the kind of cheese which you can't stop eating. It is made with rennet, which contains rennin, from the stomach of the calf. This coagulates the milk proteins, and activates the curd. Use at least 2 quarts of milk, as the amount of cheese produced even from this quant.i.ty is really quite small.

2 quarts milk quarts milk 1 tablespoon salt, or more 4 tablespoons liquid essence of rennet Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat gently. Add the salt and liquid rennet, and continue to heat the milk slowly until you can just bear to keep your little finger in without feeling any sting. Do not cover the pan, as condensed steam would spoil the process, and do not allow the milk to become too hot, as this will cause failure. Boiling would ruin it.

Turn off the heat and cover the pan with a cloth. The milk will separate into curds and whey. Leave undisturbed for at least 6 hours.

Pour the mixture into a colander or large sieve lined with thin damp cheesecloth or muslin, and let it drain overnight. The following day, a soft cheese will have formed. Turn it out into a small round plastic basket or mold with little holes. This will allow the cheese to dry out and to firm, and it will give it the shape and texture of the basket. Leave for a whole day before turning the beautiful, porcelain-white cheese out onto a plate.

Serve as an appetizer with olives.

Variations * When the cheese is a few days old and quite firm, it is delicious sliced and fried with eggs.

* The same cheese, made with little or no salt, is excellent eaten with jam.

Savory Pies I his his Kanju 'l Ishtiha (Treasure of the Appet.i.te) Kanju 'l Ishtiha (Treasure of the Appet.i.te) the fifteenth-century Persian poet of food, Abu Ishaq of Shiraz, wrote: "We came into the kitchen for this purpose, that we might show the fried meat to the pastry." The Middle East has "shown to the pastry" not only cheese, meat, and spinach-the more common fillings-but also pigeons, eggplants, pumpkin, fish, and nuts. the fifteenth-century Persian poet of food, Abu Ishaq of Shiraz, wrote: "We came into the kitchen for this purpose, that we might show the fried meat to the pastry." The Middle East has "shown to the pastry" not only cheese, meat, and spinach-the more common fillings-but also pigeons, eggplants, pumpkin, fish, and nuts.

Savory pies are one of the most interesting features of Middle Eastern cuisines. Sambousek, borek, bstilla Sambousek, borek, bstilla, fillo, brik, spanakopitta, lahma bi ajeen, fatayer brik, spanakopitta, lahma bi ajeen, fatayer, and ataif ataif are part of a vast and glorious family. Various doughs are used- flaky puff, and fillo pastry, bread dough and pancakes, each country and community favoring a particular type. To make it more confusing, different names are given to the same pastries in different countries and communities, while sometimes the same name applies to two very different pastries. There are half-moon shapes, triangles, fingers, coils, little pots, and little parcels, as well as medium-sized pies and enormous ones. Making them requires a certain amount of skill, but it is easily acquired and worth possessing, since the results are particularly delicious and never cease to provoke general admira tion. Mastering the art of making dainty little turnovers with elegant, festoon-type edges, and of folding tidy little envelopes, is part of the pleasure. are part of a vast and glorious family. Various doughs are used- flaky puff, and fillo pastry, bread dough and pancakes, each country and community favoring a particular type. To make it more confusing, different names are given to the same pastries in different countries and communities, while sometimes the same name applies to two very different pastries. There are half-moon shapes, triangles, fingers, coils, little pots, and little parcels, as well as medium-sized pies and enormous ones. Making them requires a certain amount of skill, but it is easily acquired and worth possessing, since the results are particularly delicious and never cease to provoke general admira tion. Mastering the art of making dainty little turnovers with elegant, festoon-type edges, and of folding tidy little envelopes, is part of the pleasure.

These savory pies make marvelous appetizers, particularly in their tiniest versions. They are good as a first course for buffet parties. The larger pies, such as the Moroccan bstilla bstilla (page 126) and the Tunisian (page 126) and the Tunisian tagine malsouka tagine malsouka (page 130), make splendid main dishes. (page 130), make splendid main dishes.

Sigara Boregi Little Cheese Rolls Makes 16 * This is the most popular Turkish * This is the most popular Turkish borek borek. The little rolls or "cigars" make ideal appetizers and canapes. It is best to use a thicker quality of fillo, which is not likely to tear during cooking. If the fillo sheets are too thin, use 2 strips together and brush with b.u.t.ter or oil in between. In this case you will need to double the number of sheets.

7 ounces feta 1 egg, lightly beaten 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped mint, parsley, or dill (optional) 4 sheets fillo 4 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter or oil For the filling, mash the feta cheese with a fork and mix with the egg and herbs.

Take out the sheets of fillo only when you are ready to use them, as they dry out. Cut the sheets into 4 rectangles each, about 12 by 4 inches, and put them in a pile on top of each other. Brush the top strip lightly with oil or melted b.u.t.ter. Take a heaping teaspoon of filling and place it at one of the 4-inch or shortest ends of the strip in a thin sausage shape along the edge-about 1 inch from it and 1 inch from the side edges (1). Roll up the top sheet with the filling inside like a cigarette (2). Turn the ends in when you've rolled it about a third of the way to trap the filling (3), then continue to roll (4). Repeat with the remaining fillo sheets.

Place the cigars close to each other on a greased baking sheet and brush the tops with oil or melted b.u.t.ter and bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

Serve hot.

Fillo Triangles with Ground Meat, Onions and Pine Nuts Makes about 20 * Meat pies are traditionally little triangles. The cla.s.sic Arab filling is called * Meat pies are traditionally little triangles. The cla.s.sic Arab filling is called tatbila tatbila. In Turkey, where these are called borek borek, they use the thicker kind of fillo pastry for them. If your sheets are too thin and look likely to tear, use 2 strips together and brush with melted b.u.t.ter or oil in between.

5 sheets fillo 5 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter or oil FOR THE MEAT FILLING.

1 small onion, chopped 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 8 ounces lean ground lamb or beef Salt and pepper teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon allspice 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted For the filling, fry the onion in the oil till golden. Add the meat and fry lightly, crushing it with a fork and turning it over, until it changes color, adding salt, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir in the pine nuts.

Take out the sheets of fillo only when you are ready to use them, as they dry out. Cut the sheets into 4 rectangles each, about 12 by 4 inches wide, and put them in a pile on top of each other. Brush the top strip lightly with melted b.u.t.ter or oil. Take a heaping teaspoon of filling and place it at one of the 4-inch (or shortest) ends of the strip of fillo, 1 inch from the edge (1). Fold the end over the filling. Now pick up a corner and fold diagonally making a triangle (2). Continue to fold until the whole strip has been folded into a triangular packet (3), making sure that you close any holes as you fold so that the filling does not ooze out.

Place the little packets on a greased baking sheet and brush the tops with oil or melted b.u.t.ter. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

Variations Instead of oil or b.u.t.ter, you can brush the tops with egg yolk mixed with a drop of water before baking.

A Moroccan filling is without pine nuts and adds teaspoon ginger, a pinch of cayenne, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and 2 raw eggs to bind the meat. Deep-fry the pies in about 1 1 inch not-too-hot oil until golden, turning over once. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot, dusted with a little confectioners' sugar or cinnamon. inch not-too-hot oil until golden, turning over once. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot, dusted with a little confectioners' sugar or cinnamon.

Fillo Triangles with Spinach-and-Cheese Filling Spinach is a traditional filling for fillo triangles (page 118) and coils (below). Use the filling on page 131 instead of the meat filling and prepare as in the preceding recipe.

Eggplant Fillo Pies Makes 6 * The traditional shape for eggplant pies is a coil or snail shape, but large square packets are simple to make and don't tear as easily. And they are just as good. These pies can be served as a first course or a main dish. The Turkish eggplant filling is delicate in flavor and delicious. If you want to make them into a coil, use the method given above ("Making Fillo Coils," page 119). * The traditional shape for eggplant pies is a coil or snail shape, but large square packets are simple to make and don't tear as easily. And they are just as good. These pies can be served as a first course or a main dish. The Turkish eggplant filling is delicate in flavor and delicious. If you want to make them into a coil, use the method given above ("Making Fillo Coils," page 119).

2 pounds eggplants 4 eggs, lightly beaten 5 ounces mature cheddar, grated teaspoon nutmeg Pepper A little salt (optional) 6 sheets fillo 4 tablespoons sunflower oil or melted b.u.t.ter 1 egg yolk For the filling, broil or roast the eggplants, peel them, and chop and mash the flesh (see page 63). Mix with the eggs, cheese, nutmeg, pep- per, and salt (for salt, take into account the saltiness of the cheese).

Open out the sheets of fillo when you are ready to make the pies and be ready to work fast. Leave the sheets in a pile and brush the top one with melted b.u.t.ter or oil. Put a sixth of the filling (about 4 tablespoons) in a mound on one side of the sheet, about 3 inches from the edge, in the center (1). Let it spread over a surface of about 3 inches.

Wrap the filling up into a flat, square parcel: Fold the edge of the sheet over the filling, then very carefully lift the part of the sheet with the filling and turn over (2). Continue to turn the parcel over, folding the 2 side ends up at different turns so that the filling ends up covered with several layers of pastry on both sides (3-5).

Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling, and arrange the parcels on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and brown.

Serve hot.

Pumpkin Fillo Pies Makes 6 * These large individual pies with a Turkish filling make a wonderful first course. You need the sweet orange-fleshed pumpkin for this. It is sold in Middle Eastern and Oriental stores, almost all the year round, in large slices, with the seeds and stringy bits removed. * These large individual pies with a Turkish filling make a wonderful first course. You need the sweet orange-fleshed pumpkin for this. It is sold in Middle Eastern and Oriental stores, almost all the year round, in large slices, with the seeds and stringy bits removed.

6 sheets fillo 4 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter or vegetable oil 1 egg yolk FOR THE FILLING.

2 pounds orange pumpkin 2 teaspoons sugar 5 ounces feta cheese, mashed with a fork 2 eggs, lightly beaten Peel the pumpkin and sc.r.a.pe off the seeds and fibrous parts. Cut the flesh into pieces and put them in a pan with about 1 cup of water. Cook with the lid on (so that they steam) for 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain and mash with a potato masher or a fork. Return to the pan and leave over high heat until all the liquid has evaporated, watching that it does not burn and stirring with a wooden spoon. The pumpkin must be quite dry. If it is wet, the pastry will become soggy.

Mix with the rest of the filling ingredients.

Open out the sheets of fillo when you are ready to make the pies and be ready to work fast. Leave the sheets in a pile and brush the top one with melted b.u.t.ter or oil. Put a sixth of the filling in a mound on one side of the sheet, about 3 inches from the edge, in the center. Let it spread over a surface of about 3 inches.

Wrap the filling up into a flat, square parcel. Fold the near edge of the sheet over the filling, then very carefully lift the part of the sheet with the filling and turn over. Continue to turn the parcel over, folding the 2 side ends up at different turns so that the filling ends up covered with several layers of pastry. (See drawings on page 121.) Continue with the remaining sheets and filling, and arrange the parcels on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and brown.

Serve hot.

Variation If you want to make the pies into a traditional coil shape, use the method given above ("Making Fillo Coils," page 119).

Spinach Pies with Raisins and Pine Nuts Serves 4 * The large individual pies make a wonderful first course. * The large individual pies make a wonderful first course.

4 sheets fillo 2 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter or vegetable oil 1 egg yolk FOR THE FILLING.

1 pound fresh spinach 1 medium onion, chopped 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted 2 tablespoons raisins Make the filling. Wash the spinach and remove stems only if they are thick and tough, then drain. Put the leaves in a large pan with the lid on. Cook over low heat until they crumple into a soft ma.s.s (they steam in the water that clings to them). Drain and press all the water out, as it would make the pastry soggy.

Fry the onion in the 2 tablespoons of oil till golden. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook over high heat to evaporate any remaining liquid. Stir in the pine nuts and raisins.

Open out the sheets of fillo when you are ready to make the pies and be ready to work fast. Leave the sheets in a pile and brush the top one with b.u.t.ter or oil. Put a fourth of the filling in a flat mound on one side of the sheet, about 3 inches from the edge, in the center.

Wrap the filling up into a square parcel. Fold the near edge of the sheet over the filling, then very carefully lift the fillo with the filling and turn over. Continue to turn the parcel over, folding the 2 side ends up at different turns so that the filling ends up covered with several layers of pastry on both sides. (See drawings on page 121.) Continue with the remaining sheets and filling, and arrange the parcels on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and brown.

Serve hot.

Variation Before serving, dust the tops with a little confectioners' sugar and cinnamon.

Briouat bil Kefta Moroccan Cigars with Meat Makes about 60 * This is elegant and tasty party fare. The pastries are called * This is elegant and tasty party fare. The pastries are called briouats briouats in Morocco, where they are made with the paper-thin pancakes called in Morocco, where they are made with the paper-thin pancakes called ouarka ouarka. Fillo makes an easy and perfect subst.i.tute. You can keep the prepared rolls uncooked in the freezer. In Morocco they are fried, but it is much easier to bake them, and the results are very good.

1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pounds lean ground beef or lamb 2 teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon allspice teaspoon ginger Salt Pepper or good pinch of ground chili pepper 1 cup finely chopped parsley 1 cup finely chopped cilantro 5 eggs, lightly beaten 1 pound fillo sheets cup (1 sticks) b.u.t.ter, melted, or cup vegetable oil Prepare the filling. In a large skillet, saute the onion in the 4 tablespoons oil until softened. Add the meat, spices, salt, and pepper or ground chili pepper, and cook, crushing the meat with a fork and turning it over, for about 10 minutes, until it changes color. Stir in the parsley and cilantro.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over the meat. Cook gently, stirring, for a moment or two only, until the eggs set to a creamy consistency. Let the filling cool. Taste and add more spices and pepper if you like.

To fill and roll the cigars: cut each sheet of fillo into three rectangles and put them together in a pile so that they do not dry out.

Brush the top one very lightly with melted b.u.t.ter or oil.

See drawings on page 117. Put a tablespoon of filling along one of the short edges. Roll the fillo over it. Roll up like a cigar, tucking the ends in when you've rolled it halfway so that the filling does not fall out, then continue to roll, letting the ends unfold so that they appear open. Place the rolls side by side on a greased baking sheet, brush with melted b.u.t.ter, and bake in a preheated 300F oven for 35 minutes, or until golden. Serve very hot.

Variations * You may dust the cigars with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon or with both.

* If you want to fry a few for an instant snack (they are nice fried), do so in about inch not-too-hot vegetable oil, turning over once, until browned. Drain on paper towels.

Briouat bil Hout Seafood Cigars Use the seafood filling on page 128 and make the cigars as instructed in above recipe for briouat bil kefta briouat bil kefta.

Briouat bil Djaj Chicken and Onion Cigars Use the chicken-and-onion filling on page 129 and make the cigars as instructed in the above recipe for briouat bil kefta briouat bil kefta.

Ouarka, Brik, Dioul North African Paper- Thin Pancakes In North Africa, large ever-so-thin pancakes- called ouarka ouarka in Morocco, in Morocco, brik brik in Tunisia, and in Tunisia, and dioul dioul in Algeria-are used to make large round pies and small ones in the shape of cigars, cornets, and square packets. in Algeria-are used to make large round pies and small ones in the shape of cigars, cornets, and square packets.

Making them is a highly skilled operation which requires a great deal of patience. A dough is made with hard-wheat or bread flour, a pinch of salt, and warm water, kneaded for a long time as you work in more water to obtain a soft, very moist, spongy elasticity; then the dough is left to rest for an hour covered with a film of warm water. Lumps of dough the size of an egg are picked up with one hand and dabbed on the oiled surface of a round tray placed bottom side up over a fire. As the dough touches the tray with repeated dabs, a thin, almost transparent film of pastry is built up and gradually expanded into a round about 12 inches in diameter.

In North African markets the pancakes are sold by weight, covered in plastic wrap. In France, where they are ma.s.s-produced and sold in vacuum packs, they have become very popular with the top chefs, who use them as we use fillo. I hope they will be sold in the United States sometime in the future.

You can use Chinese spring-roll skins or a fine fillo pastry instead of ouarka ouarka, although the result is not quite the same. I started using fillo for Moroccan pies more than thirty years ago, but I always felt a little guilty about it until a young Moroccan cook, who had been sent to Disneyland to demonstrate Moroccan cooking at an international festival of tourism, told me about her team's experience. They had not antic.i.p.ated the extent of the demand for briouat briouat (pies) and ran out of pastry. A Lebanese contingent nearby lent the Moroccan cooks fillo, and they went on to make the pies with fillo. They turned out to be perfectly satisfactory. (pies) and ran out of pastry. A Lebanese contingent nearby lent the Moroccan cooks fillo, and they went on to make the pies with fillo. They turned out to be perfectly satisfactory.

Bstilla Pigeon (Squab) or Chicken Pie Serves 6-8 Variously p.r.o.nounced Variously p.r.o.nounced bstilla, pas-tilla bstilla, pas-tilla, and bisteeya bisteeya, it is one of the great dishes of Morocco, described as "food for the G.o.ds." Vast quant.i.ties are made in huge trays for weddings and grand occasions. The version with pigeons is the most prestigious.

Moroccans say the dish was brought back by the Moors from Andalusia after the Recon-quista, but in Andalusia, at El Molino, the center of gastronomic research outside Granada, where they serve it as a historic dish, they say it was brought to Spain from Morocco. In a thirteenth-century Andalusian culinary ma.n.u.script in Arabic (see Lucie Bolens, appendix) there is a recipe for a pigeon omelet which is almost identical to the filling for bstilla bstilla.

The preparation of the pastry called ouarka ouarka requires much skill and experience (see page 125). You can buy it vacuum-packed in French supermarkets, so perhaps we will be able to find it in America soon. Store-bought sheets of fillo make an excellent alternative. There are two famous versions. The one of Fez is the most surprising, with its sweet-and-savory combination, but you must also try the sharp lemony one of Tetouan, which is given as a variation. The cooked birds are not deboned in Morocco-the bones are left in the pie-but it is much more pleasant to eat the pie without them. requires much skill and experience (see page 125). You can buy it vacuum-packed in French supermarkets, so perhaps we will be able to find it in America soon. Store-bought sheets of fillo make an excellent alternative. There are two famous versions. The one of Fez is the most surprising, with its sweet-and-savory combination, but you must also try the sharp lemony one of Tetouan, which is given as a variation. The cooked birds are not deboned in Morocco-the bones are left in the pie-but it is much more pleasant to eat the pie without them.

FOR THE FILLING.

2 squabs or 1 3-to-4-pound chicken 3 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil 1 large onions, finely chopped or grated Salt and pepper teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon powdered saffron (optional) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon plus more to garnish 6 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley cup chopped cilantro I cups blanched almonds 2-3 tablespoons sugar cup (1 stick) b.u.t.ter, melted, or cup vegetable oil 14 sheets fillo pastry Confectioners' sugar to garnish Cut the squabs or chicken into pieces. Put them in a pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil, onions, salt and pepper, ginger, saffron (optional), and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add just enough water to cover. Simmer with the lid on for 1 hours, or until the flesh is so tender that it falls off the bones, adding a little water as required.

Lift out the squabs or chicken, leaving the sauce in the pan, remove skin and bone, and cut the meat into smallish pieces.

Reduce the sauce to about A A cup. Pour in the eggs and stir over low heat until the mixture is creamy and nearly set. Stir in the parsley and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. cup. Pour in the eggs and stir over low heat until the mixture is creamy and nearly set. Stir in the parsley and cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Coa.r.s.ely chop the almonds and fry them briefly in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring and shaking the pan to brown them lightly all over. Drain on paper towels and mix with the sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Now a.s.semble the pie. Brush a large pie or cake pan, about 13 inches in diameter and 1-2 inches deep, with melted b.u.t.ter or oil.

Fit a sheet of fillo in the dish so that the ends fold well up the side and overlap the edges. If this is not possible, use overlapping sheets of fillo. Lay 6 sheets of pastry on top of each other, brushing melted b.u.t.ter or oil evenly between each layer.

Spread the pieces of boned pigeon or chicken neatly over the pastry and cover with the egg mixture. Lay another 4 sheets of fillo on top, brushing each one with melted b.u.t.ter or oil. Sprinkle the fried almonds, sugar, and cinnamon mixture evenly over the top layer, then bring the overhanging bits of sheets up and fold them over the almond mixture. Cover with the remaining sheets of fillo, brushing each layer except the top one with melted b.u.t.ter or oil. Tuck the top sheets down inside the pan, underneath the pie.

Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden brown. Very carefully turn over the pie onto a baking sheet and bake a further 15 minutes, or until the other side is brown.

Serve hot, turned out upside down again onto a serving platter. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and make a pattern of crisscrossing parallel lines with cinnamon.

Variation For a Tetouan bstilla bstilla, omit the sugar and add the juice of 1 lemon or more to the sauce. Sprinkle the top of the pie with cinnamon.