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Finished and plated dish: Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla)
Fotografía del plato terminado: Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla)
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Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla)

Por Álvaro (RecetAI)•Actualizada recientemente
Morocco
Palate Safari, A Thousand and One Spices, Afternoon Tapas
TraditionalHigh Protein
  • 8
    servings
  • 600 kcal/serving
  • avanzado

Ingredients

Still life with the fresh ingredients needed for the recipe

  • Free-range chicken (cut into pieces, skinless but bone-in for collagen)

    1 kg

  • Large onions (finely chopped)

    4 units

  • Free-range eggs

    6 units

  • Raw blanched almonds

    250 g

  • Sheets of phyllo dough (or Moroccan warka pastry)

    10 units

  • Unsalted butter (melted, for clarifying and brushing)

    150 g

  • Extra virgin olive oil

    60 ml

  • Fresh parsley and cilantro (very finely chopped)

    1 manojo mixto

  • Powdered (icing) sugar, plus extra for decorating

    60 g

  • Orange blossom water (food grade)

    2 units

  • Ground cinnamon, plus extra for decorating

    2 units

  • Ground ginger

    1 unit

  • Saffron threads (lightly toasted and crushed)

    1 pizca generosa

  • Ground turmeric

    1 unit

  • Salt and black pepper

    1 al gusto

Utensils needed

  • Herramienta de cocina: Skimmer
    Skimmer

About this recipe

The 'Pastilla' (or Bastilla) is the crown jewel of Andalusian-Moroccan gastronomy.

It is an astonishingly sophisticated sweet-savory pie, typically reserved for grand celebrations and weddings.

Traditionally made with squab (young pigeon) meat, its modern version with chicken is equally sublime.

It consists of layers of exceedingly thin warka pastry (similar to phyllo) enclosing a highly aromatic filling in three distinct textures: a shredded chicken stew flavored with saffron, ginger, and ras el hanout; a silky cream made from eggs scrambled into the chicken's reduced onion sauce; and a crunchy layer of fried crushed almonds mixed with orange blossom water, honey, and cinnamon.

Upon biting into it, the golden pastry shatters, revealing a majestic and contrasting explosion of flavors, elegantly decorated on the surface with a diamond lattice of powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Instructions

1
Step 1

Step 1

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, lightly brown the chicken with the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, ginger, turmeric, saffron, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onion releases its water. Add half a glass of water, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken, take the meat off the bones, shred it very finely (discarding skin and cartilage), and set aside. Discard the bones.
2
Step 2

Step 2

Reduce the remaining sauce in the pot over medium-high heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated, resulting in a dark, caramelized onion compote. Lower the heat to a minimum. Lightly beat the 6 eggs and pour them into the pot, stirring constantly and gently until they scramble into a thick, moist cream with no excess liquid (like a very finely minced scrambled egg). If it releases oil, drain it using a strainer. Let it cool completely.
3
Step 3

Step 3

In a skillet, fry the raw almonds in a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Once cold, crush them in a food processor or mortar, but do not turn them into powder (they should have the texture of gravel). Mix the chopped almonds with the powdered sugar, half a tablespoon of cinnamon, and the orange blossom water. Set aside.
4
Step 4

Step 4

Melt the butter. Use it to brush a shallow round baking dish or ovenproof skillet (approx. 26 cm). Place 4 or 5 sheets of phyllo dough overlapping in a flower pattern, brushing each with butter, covering the bottom of the pan and letting half of the sheets overhang the edges. Place an extra crumpled sheet in the center to reinforce the base.
5
Step 5

Step 5

Create the filling layers (which must be completely cold). First, spread the egg and onion mixture on the bottom. Cover it seamlessly with all the shredded chicken. Finally, spread the entire crunchy sugared almond mixture evenly on top.
6
Step 6

Step 6

Fold the overhanging parts of the phyllo dough toward the center, enclosing the almonds, and brush with butter to seal. Cover everything with 2 or 3 new sheets of phyllo dough on top for a clean seal, tucking the edges down inside the pan (like making a bed). Generously brush the surface with melted butter. Bake at 190°C for 25-30 minutes until the surface is golden brown and extraordinarily crispy. Let it rest for 10 minutes, turn it out of the pan, and decorate by dusting the surface with powdered sugar and drawing intersecting geometric diamond lines with ground cinnamon.

Your culinary masterpiece is ready to enjoy!

Share your version and surprise your guests with art and flavor.

Celebración cómica y surrealista de Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla), con ingredientes: Free-range chicken (cut into pieces, skinless but bone-in for collagen), Large onions (finely chopped), Free-range eggs, Raw blanched almonds, Sheets of phyllo dough (or Moroccan warka pastry).

Composición final humorística de Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla) con Free-range chicken (cut into pieces, skinless but bone-in for collagen), Large onions (finely chopped), Free-range eggs, Raw blanched almonds, Sheets of phyllo dough (or Moroccan warka pastry)
Imagen final de la receta Moroccan Chicken Pastilla (Bastilla), ingredientes: Free-range chicken (cut into pieces, skinless but bone-in for collagen), Large onions (finely chopped), Free-range eggs, Raw blanched almonds, Sheets of phyllo dough (or Moroccan warka pastry)

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