Hands Off: 30 minutes

A classic bistilla is made with layers of phyllo dough encasing a fragrantly spiced meat mixture—often pigeon. You might also find whole hard-boiled eggs inside, and the top is always dusted with confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon. Since phyllo can be hard to work with, I have substituted frozen puff pastry here. This meat pie makes a very dramatic presentation, perfect for a dinner party or holiday. It is a sweet/savory balancing act that pairs well with a semi-dry white wine like Riesling.

Serves 6

1/2 cup (2 ounces) whole almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
3 large eggs
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup diced onion
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of saffron threads
One 17.3-ounce package puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, combine the almonds, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Pulse a few times so that there are still chunks of almonds for crunchiness.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Take out 1 tablespoon of the eggs and put it in a small dish; set aside. To the remaining eggs, add the turkey, onion, raisins, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, ginger, salt, pepper, coriander, and saffron. Mix thoroughly to distribute the spices without squashing the meat.

4. Unfold 1 piece of pastry, place it on the prepared pan, and roll it lightly with a rolling pin to smooth the seams. Be careful not to compress the edges. Spread 1/4 cup of the almond mixture over the center of the pastry, then top with half of the turkey mixture. Form the turkey into a log about 3 1/2 inches wide, leaving at 1-inch border at either end of the pastry. Fold 1 long side of the pastry over the turkey. Moisten the other long side with the reserved egg, then fold the other half of the pastry over and press it to seal against the moistened edge. Moisten the ends and press them together as well. Use the parchment to roll the packet, seam-side down, toward one end of the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making another packet and rolling it to sit at least 2 inches from the other one.

5. Use the tip of a knife to poke 3 holes in the top of each pastry. Bake the bistilla for 30 minutes, until they are puffed and brown. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sift them over the top of the rolls. Present the whole rolls and then cut each one in thirds to serve.