Rinse pigeons including the cavity and place, breast-side up, in a single layer in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Rub with garlic and onion, and season well with salt. Add parsley, coriander, turmeric, saffron, ginger, cinnamon quill and butter to pan, then fill pan with enough water to just cover pigeons. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cover surface with a cartouche, then a lid. Cook for 40 minutes, then remove pigeons from cooking liquid and set aside in a colander to drain excess liquid.
Meanwhile, increase heat to high and return cooking liquid to the boil. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until liquid has reduced to about 375ml (1½ cups). Remove and discard cinnamon quill. Reduce heat to medium, stir in lemon juice, then, stirring briskly, add eggs. Stir for a further 3 minutes or until eggs are cooked; they will look scrambled and curd-like. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible; this ensures the filling does not cause the pastry to be soggy.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine icing sugar, ground cinnamon and blanched almonds in a bowl and set aside. Once pigeons are cool enough to handle, shred meat and discard skin and bones. Combine pigeon and egg mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Brush a 28cm heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan or 28cm springform pan with ghee. Place a sheet of brik pastry over the base of the pan, then brush with ghee. Working around the edge of the pan, repeat with another 4 sheets of pastry, slightly overlapping the sheets, brushing each sheet with ghee and leaving 10cm hanging over the edge; there should be a 10cm overhang around the whole rim.
Spread cinnamon almond mixture over pastry shell, then top with another 2 sheets of pastry, slightly overlapping the sheets, brushing each sheet with ghee and leaving a 10cm overhang. Spread over pigeon mixture, then top with another sheet of pastry (with overhang) and brush with ghee. Scatter over ground almonds, then layer with remaining 2 sheets of pastry (with overhang), brushing each sheet with ghee. Fold in the overhanging pastry towards the centre of the pan, then cover with a small, ovenproof plate to lightly compress the pastilla.
Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the plate and bake for a further 10 minutes. Carefully invert pastilla onto an oven tray and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp. Transfer the pastilla to a plate and cool slightly, before dusting it with icing sugar and cinnamon.
* Squab pigeons are available from specialist poultry and game suppliers.
* Brik pastry, which is similar to filo pastry, is sold as ready-made sheets at specialist food shops. It is used for both sweet and savoury dishes.
Meanwhile, increase heat to high and return cooking liquid to the boil. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until liquid has reduced to about 375ml (1½ cups). Remove and discard cinnamon quill. Reduce heat to medium, stir in lemon juice, then, stirring briskly, add eggs. Stir for a further 3 minutes or until eggs are cooked; they will look scrambled and curd-like. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible; this ensures the filling does not cause the pastry to be soggy.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine icing sugar, ground cinnamon and blanched almonds in a bowl and set aside. Once pigeons are cool enough to handle, shred meat and discard skin and bones. Combine pigeon and egg mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Brush a 28cm heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan or 28cm springform pan with ghee. Place a sheet of brik pastry over the base of the pan, then brush with ghee. Working around the edge of the pan, repeat with another 4 sheets of pastry, slightly overlapping the sheets, brushing each sheet with ghee and leaving 10cm hanging over the edge; there should be a 10cm overhang around the whole rim.
Spread cinnamon almond mixture over pastry shell, then top with another 2 sheets of pastry, slightly overlapping the sheets, brushing each sheet with ghee and leaving a 10cm overhang. Spread over pigeon mixture, then top with another sheet of pastry (with overhang) and brush with ghee. Scatter over ground almonds, then layer with remaining 2 sheets of pastry (with overhang), brushing each sheet with ghee. Fold in the overhanging pastry towards the centre of the pan, then cover with a small, ovenproof plate to lightly compress the pastilla.
Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the plate and bake for a further 10 minutes. Carefully invert pastilla onto an oven tray and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp. Transfer the pastilla to a plate and cool slightly, before dusting it with icing sugar and cinnamon.
* Squab pigeons are available from specialist poultry and game suppliers.
* Brik pastry, which is similar to filo pastry, is sold as ready-made sheets at specialist food shops. It is used for both sweet and savoury dishes.
At Efendy, Somer uses Hervey Bay king prawns and finely chops the ingredients for the muhammara (walnut capsicum dip) using a Turkish zirkh knife, a very large mezzaluna-style knife that preserves the fresh taste of the capsicums. You can use a large mezzaluna, regular knife or food processor instead.
To make the fruit filling, combine the figs,
sultanas, almonds, walnuts, vino cotto, sugar,
orange zest, cinnamon and 300ml water in
a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium
heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat
to low and cook, stirring continuously to
prevent the mixture sticking, for 40 minutes
or until the fruit softens and most of the
liquid is absorbed. (Add extra vino cotto if
the mixture is too dry.) Transfer to a bowl
and cool completely.
Sudanese communities prepare this dish as
a group, which makes the process far quicker,
less labour intensive and, with banter and
gossip, lots of fun as well. Soak the broad
beans overnight.