bastilla

Pastilla, also spelled Bastilla is a savoury-sweet Moroccan meat pie made by filling a thin flaky pastry shell with a mixture of tender braised poultry, eggs, and fried almonds. At first glace, a slice of pastilla could easily be mistaken for a dessert, since it’s generously dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon, but the sweet crispy exterior belies the spicy, savoury mixture on the inside. Traditionally made with squab (a.k.a. pigeon) and warka pastry, I’ve adapted this pastilla with ingredients that are more readily available here.

As you bite into a crisp buttery pastilla, the sugar and cinnamon activates your sweet taste receptors, but the sweetness quickly fades as the savoury filling hits your tongue. The tender chicken and onions flood your mouth with an umami rich burst of flavour that carries with it, notes of ginger, turmeric and cardamom. Add to that the crunchy butter fried almonds and you’ll start to get a picture of just how magnificent this humble pastry can be. continue →

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