One of my favorite Middle Eastern uses for ground chicken or turkey.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2lbs ground chicken (or turkey)
3 red onions, 2 finely chopped, 1 thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp ras el hanout (Moroccan spice mix)
1 pinch saffron threads
2 cups chicken stock
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4oz pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup Craisins (or substitute with currants)
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
20 sheets filo pastry
5oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease
1 tbsp nigella seeds
Heat half the oil in a wide, deep-sided frypan over high heat.
In 2 batches, add the ground meat and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining meat.
Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in the same frypan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add ras el hanout and saffron, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Return the meat to the frypan with the stock, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Pour the eggs over chicken mixture and gently simmer, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until eggs start to set.
Add the pistachios, craisins, lemon and orange zest, and chopped herbs, and stir until combined.
Transfer to a heatproof bowl, stand for 20 minutes to cool slightly, then chill for 1-2 hours or until completely cooled.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a deep 11″ by 15″ roasting pan.
Lightly brush 5 filo sheets with melted butter and stack on top of one another. Cover with a baking paper and a damp tea towel, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining filo to make four 5-sheet filo stacks. Place the prepared pan with a short side facing you.
Place a pastry stack in bottom half of pan, short side facing you, allowing half the stack to overhang bottom edge of pan. Place a second stack in top half of pan, short side facing you and bottom edge slightly overlapping first stack, with excess overhanging top edge of pan. Place a third stack in pan with a long side of stack slightly overlapping long side of first stack and excess overhanging edge of pan. Repeat with fourth stack to completely cover pan.
Pour in the meat mixture and fold excess pastry over to enclose, scrunching corners slightly. Brush with butter and scatter with nigella seeds.
Bake the pastia for 1 hour or until golden. Stand for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toss the sliced onion and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside to pickle slightly.
Scatter the pastia with the pickled onion and extra mint and parsley leaves to serve.