Moroccan Style Chicken in Pastry

Delicious Moroccan Style Chicken in Pastry.

 

Chicken Meal

Serves 6-8

         Ingredients

  • 100 g (4 oz) aubergine, diced
  • salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 boneless chicken breast, skinned and minced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 25 g (1 oz) fresh white or brown breadcrumbs
  • 400 g (14 oz) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
  • beaten egg, to glaze
  • mixed salad and natural yogurt, to serve

Method

1 Put the aubergine in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse in cold water, squeeze, then pat dry with kitchen paper and chop coarsely. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) Gas mark 7.

2 Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken, garlic, onion, spices and aubergine and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, mint, beaten egg and breadcrumbs and season with salt to taste. Mix well and leave to cool.

3 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and trim to a 30-cm (12-in) square. Cut into two pieces, one measuring 30 x 16 cm (12 x 6 ½ in) and the other 30 x 14 cm (12 x 5 ½ in).

4 Place the smaller piece on a baking sheet and spread the cold chicken mixture over to within 1 cm (½in) of the edges. Brush the edges with water. Lift the remaining pastry and place over the chicken mixture. Press the pastry edges together firmly to seal, then flute neatly.

5 Brush the pastry with beaten egg to glaze, then, using a sharp knife, cut diagonal slashes across the top of the pastry. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and use to make leaves for decorating the top and brush with beaten egg.

6 Rake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F) Gas mark 5 and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes, covering with foil during cooking, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning.

7 Serve warm or cold with a mixed salad and spoonfuls of natural yogurt.