Morocco's extraordinary sweet-savoury pigeon pie in crispy warqa pastry with cinnamon, almonds and egg.
Bastilla (bisteeya) is considered one of the most complex and prestigious dishes in Moroccan and Arab cuisine. Shredded pigeon or chicken is cooked with eggs and cinnamon, layered with fried almonds and sugar, then enclosed in paper-thin warqa (or filo) pastry and baked until golden. The final dish is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon — the contrast of sweet, savoury, and crunchy is extraordinary. It originated in Fes and remains a centrepiece at Moroccan celebrations.
Serves 6
Braise chicken with onion, saffron, ginger, cinnamon and a little water for 45 minutes until very tender. Remove chicken, shred, and discard bones. Reduce the remaining liquid.
Add beaten eggs to the reduced broth over low heat, stirring to create loose, creamy scrambled egg. Season.
Mix toasted almonds with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
Butter a round oven tin. Layer 4 filo sheets overlapping and hanging over the edge. Layer: egg mixture, then shredded chicken, then almond mixture. Fold overhanging pastry over. Top with remaining 4 sheets, tucking edges under.
Brush with butter. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until deep golden. Dust with icing sugar and draw cinnamon lines on top.
Work quickly with filo as it dries out — keep covered with a damp cloth.
The sweet-savoury contrast is the point — don't reduce the sugar.
Seafood bastilla: prawn and fish filling is popular in coastal Morocco.
Mini individual bastillas make impressive starters.
Refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven to restore crispiness.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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