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1
Cut the game hens into serving pieces.
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2
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a kettle and add the onions and garlic.
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3
Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted.
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4
Add the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon stick, saffron, allspice, parsley sprigs, salt and peppercorns.
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5
Stir to blend and cook briefly.
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6
Add the game hen pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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7
Add the water or broth and bring to the boil.
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8
Let cook 45 minutes.
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9
Carefully remove the pieces of game hen.
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10
Strain the broth into a skillet or saucepan, discarding the solids.
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11
Bring the broth to the boil and cook over high heat until reduced to about three-quarters of a cup.
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12
Put the almonds in a skillet and cook, stirring often, until they are golden brown.
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13
Take care that they do not burn.
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14
Remove from the heat and let cool.
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15
Put the almonds into the container of a food processor or electric blender and process until coarse-fine.
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16
Blend with the sugar and one teaspoon ground cinnamon and set aside.
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17
Pull away and discard the skin and bones from the game hens.
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18
Shred the meat.
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19
There should be about five to six cups of meat.
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20
Set aside.
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21
Bring the broth to the boil.
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22
Pour about one-quarter cup of the simmering broth into the beaten eggs.
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23
Add the coriander.
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24
Pour this mixture into the remaining broth and cook over very low heat, stirring rapidly with a wire whisk, until the mixture is thickened.
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25
Pour and scrape it immediately into a mixing bowl and let cool.
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26
Select a large Pyrex pie dish, one and three-quarter inches deep and 11 inches in diameter, or another smooth- rimmed utensil of approximately the same size.
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27
Lay out the phyllo sheets in one stack and have a damp towel at hand to keep the leaves covered to prevent their drying out.
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28
You will use the top sheet of pastry as you work.
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29
Brush the top sheet with clarified butter and transfer it, buttered side up, over the pie plate, letting the outer edges extend outward.
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30
Butter a second sheet and add this to the first, buttered side up.
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31
Repeat with four more sheets, making a total of six.
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32
Spoon about half of the egg mixture over the bottom of the pastry-lined pie plate.
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33
Smooth it over.
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34
Top this with the shredded poultry and smooth it over.
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35
Brush six sheets of pastry with butter and add them, buttered side up, over the poultry, letting the outer edges extend outward.
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36
Add the remaining egg mixture and smooth it over.
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37
Cover the egg mixture with the almond mixture, smoothing it over.
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38
Fold the overlapping edges of pastry toward the center, covering the upper surface of the pie neatly and well.
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39
Butter one more sheet of pastry and place it, but tered side down, over the pie, outer edges extended outward.
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40
Butter a second sheet and arrange it neatly on top.
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41
Carefully tuck the edges of the pastry over the pastry-wrapped pie to make a smooth product.
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42
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
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43
Place the pie in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
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44
If any fat has accumulated around the edges of the pie, pour it off carefully.
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45
Hold a small sieve over the pie and add the confectioners' sugar.
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46
Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the pie.
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47
Decorate the top evenly with the remaining ground cinnamon sprinkled in thin lines over the top to make a wedge or square pat tern.
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48
Serve the pie cut into wedges.
