Bastilla: Moroccan Pigeon and Almond Pie

Bastilla: Moroccan Pigeon and Almond Pie

Bastilla is a lavish Moroccan pie in thin warqa pastry: a layer of spiced pigeon (or chicken), a layer of egg custard, a layer of fried almonds with sugar and cinnamon. Salt plus sweetness = the taste of the Maghreb.

History of the dish

Bastilla is a dish of Berber and Andalusian origin, brought by Moors expelled from Spain in the 15th–16th centuries. The combination of savoury and sweet with spices is a hallmark of Moroccan court cuisine.

Key ingredients

Warqa pastry (or filo), pigeon or chicken meat (braised with spices — ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, herbs), eggs (beaten into the sauce), almonds (fried, mixed with sugar and cinnamon), butter.

How to cook at home

Braise the meat until tender, then shred. Stir eggs into the cooking juices and stir until thickened. Layer in a round tin: pastry (well buttered), meat, egg, almonds, pastry. Bake until golden.