Chicken pastilla with almonds and cinnamon

Method

1. If original and lighter portions are being prepared together, set aside the ingredients and amounts shown for the lighter portions; the remainder is for the original portions. Prepare the two versions separately wherever their cooking or seasoning differs. Divide the amounts given for the whole preparation between the pans or bowls, without adding the full amount to each. Steep the saffron in the 180 g hot water. Heat 20 g oil in a casserole and soften the onions over a medium heat for 8 minutes. Add the chicken, ginger, half the cinnamon, pepper, 3 g salt and chopped herbs. Turn the pieces for 2 minutes, then pour in the saffron water.
2. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 25–30 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through. Check that it reaches 75°C at the centre. Transfer the meat to a plate, leave to cool slightly, then shred with two forks.
3. Add the honey to the onions and reduce their sauce over a medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring. Stop when no free liquid remains at the bottom. Beat the eggs with 1 g salt, pour over the onions and stir over a low heat for 3–4 minutes to make a set but still soft scramble. Spread in a dish and cool for 15 minutes.
4. While the sauce reduces, heat 10 g oil in a small frying pan. Toast the almonds over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately transfer to a bowl, cool slightly and mix with the 20 g sugar and reserved half of the cinnamon.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan with a metal baking tray inside. Oil a metal tin sized to the quantity, keeping the filling at the same thickness (20 cm for two portions as a reference). Use the reserved 25 g oil to brush the tin and pastry sheets. Arrange half the sheets (60 g) in an overlapping fan, overhanging the edges, then centre one sixth (20 g) to strengthen the base; cut or join the sheets to fit the tin.
6. Layer in the shredded chicken, then the onion and egg mixture, and finally the sweetened almonds. Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling and cover with the reserved third of the sheets (40 g), tucking their edges inside the tin. Brush the surface with the remaining reserved oil.
7. Put the tin on the hot tray in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the crust is golden and the base firm. While it rests for 10 minutes, finely grind the 5 g sugar reserved for finishing in a mortar. Remove from the tin and dust with this sugar. Cut into the planned portions with a serrated knife.

Variants and their steps remain below the recipe.