This is a Moroccan chicken pot pie that is spicy, sweet and utterly delightful. Use chicken thighs with the bone in. Bone and skin them after cooking because it makes the broth much more flavourful. This is a spectacular dish for entertaining over the holiday season. Serve with a salad of radishes and bitter greens.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups diced onions

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 pounds chicken thighs

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

2½ cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon harissa or Asian chili sauce, or to taste

¼ cup chopped coriander

¼ cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

8 eggs, beaten

Almond sugar mixture:

1/3 cup butter

1 cup finely chopped roasted almonds

2 tablespoons icing sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 package phyllo sheets

Topping:

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons icing sugar

Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 1 minute, then add garlic, ginger, cinnamon and saffron threads. Sauté 1 minute longer.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to skillet and sauté 2 minutes per side or until slightly browned. Add stock and harissa, 2 tablespoons each of parsley and coriander and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Remove chicken, cool and discard bones and skin. Shred chicken and reserve. Reduce liquid in skillet over high heat to 1½ cups and add lemon juice. Reduce heat to low.

Whisk eggs into liquid, whisking until the mixture is creamy, has some curds and is thickened. Season with salt and pepper and stir in remaining parsley and coriander.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in icing sugar and cinnamon. Reserve.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Melt remaining butter and lightly brush a 10-inch cake pan or 12-inch oven-proof skillet with melted butter. Place a circle of phyllo in the pan to cover the base and brush with melted butter. Drape 8 phyllo sheets overlapping slightly to cover centre sheet. They will hang over the side. Brush each sheet with melted butter.

Layer almonds on the phyllo base. Add chicken and top with egg mixture. Fold overhanging pastry sheets over pie and cover with 2 more sheets of phyllo. Tuck edges in and brush top with melted butter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown.

To serve, slide or lift onto a serving dish. Dust top with icing sugar and make a crisscross pattern with cinnamon. Serves 8 to 10.