Pastilla

Ingredients

• a little fat from the confit d
  
  uck (see below)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• handful parsley, coriander and thyme all tied together
• handful parsley, chopped
• handful coriander, chopped
• 4 legs confit duck, wiped of excess fat (either buy it ready confited or see 'Goes well with', below)
• 3 eggs, plus 2 yolks
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 50g ground almonds
• 50g butter, melted
• 200g filo pastry or brik pastry

Method

1. Heat a large cast-iron pan and add the fat. Cook the onion gently for 5 mins until soft. Add the cinnamon stick, the tied herbs and the duck, and give the pan a good shake.
2. Add enough water to the pan to just cover the duck. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20 mins. Remove the duck to a plate and discard the herbs and cinnamon stick. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by half. Beat the eggs and the yolks along with half the icing sugar and half the ground cinnamon. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the egg mixture and stir like mad to stop it catching. Simmer on the lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a custard-like sauce. Be careful not to overcook or the mix may curdle. Stir through the almonds and leave to cool.
3. Shred the duck meat, discarding the skin and bones. Mix with the sauce, add the chopped parsley and coriander, and season well.
4. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with melted butter and layer in the pastry, lightly brushing with melted butter between each layer – leaving enough overhanging so it can be folded to seal the filling. Add the duck filling, then fold over and brush the top with more butter. Bake for 30 mins until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before turning out. Sprinkle with the remaining icing sugar and cinnamon before serving.