Pastilla or bestila is considered as one of the most famous Moroccan dishes, which is served at most celebrations in morocco, including weddings, births… etc

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g or 10 brick dough sheets
  • 2 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 10 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Ground cinnamon

For the chicken and egg filling

  • Chicken containes 2 kg
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch flat parsley, chopped
  • A few saffron threads
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 7 eggs , beaten
  • Salt, Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 cup cold water

For the almond filling

  • 1/2 cup sunflower oil
  • 500 g  almonds, blanched and peeled
  • 2 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the chicken in a saucepan with chopped onions, oil, salt, parsley, ginger, turmeric, saffron and pepper, When the onions become browned, Pour ½ cup of cold water, mix well and cook over medium heat for 35 minutes.

Remove the chickens from the sauce and cut it to a small pieces. Debone them and shred the flesh. the sauce should be back on a high heat to reduce until the liquid evaporates, Add the cinnamon stick and the icing sugar to caramelize the onions. Then Add the eggs to this latter, stirring constantly it should have the texture of a thick cream.

Add the oil to a large non-stick pan over medium/high heat. Add the peeled almonds right away and fry ­the peeled almonds in a large non-stick pan over medium heat, for a few minutes until golden. Notes ‘don’t burning them.

When the almonds become golden, drain and crush them in a food processor with the ground cinnamon and icing sugar.

  1. Grease a round pan with butter. Grease each brick dough sheet with butter.
    Notes : The buttered side should always face up.
  2. lay 4 sheets of brick at the bottom of the dish, by overlapping them one on top the other and having half of each of them hanging outside the pan. Then add a sheet to the center to consolidate the bottom of the pastilla.
  3. Place a layer of egg mixture on the sheets, spreading evenly over the entire surface. Cover with a sheet of brick. Add the pieces of chickens in the same way and cover with another sheet of brick. Finally, add the crushed almonds.
  4. Fold the edges of the leaves toward the center and press lightly to seal with the layer of almonds.
  5. Cover with 2 sheets to close the pastilla, and insert the edges towards the inside of the mold.
  6. Brush the edges of the last sheet with egg white so that it adheres well and does not peel off during baking. And Brush the surface of the pastilla with melted butter.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Finaly put it on a serving dish. Dust with iced sugar and cinnamon.

Notes : the pastilla should be eaten hot.