Bestila, also transliterated bastilla, bisteeya,
b'stilla or bstilla, is a traditional Moroccan dish, an elaborate meat pie traditionally made of squab (fledgling pigeons). As squabs are often hard to get,
shredded chicken is more often used today; pastilla can
also use fish or offal as a filling. Pastilla is generally served as a starter at the beginning of special meals.
It is a pie which combines sweet and salty flavours; a combination of crisp layers of the crêpe-like werqa dough (a thinner cousin of the phyllo dough), savory meat slow-cooked in brothand spices and shredded, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar.
The filling is made a day ahead, and is made by browning the meat pieces in oil. The pieces are then transferred to a bowl, and with the remaining oil, onions, water, parsley, and various spices are cooked. The liquid is then chilled, and after, thickened to form a custard-like sauce with beaten eggs. The flesh and skin from the bones is shredded and added to the sauce, and it is chilled overnight.
A variation of the full recipe is as follows;
1/2 C clarified butter
3/4 C blanched slivered almonds
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large sweet onion chopped
6 pods green cardamom crushed
2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3″ piece of Vietnamese cinnamon (cassia bark)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1.5 lbs bone-in skinless chicken (preferably thigh meat)
3 eggs beaten
1/4 C parsley
1 package phyllo dough
6 Tbsp clarified butter melted
powdered sugar and cinnamon
Until next time!
Ben
@Kwesitheauthor | @creativafr