Authentic Moroccan Pastilla Recipe: Chicken & Almonds
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Imane
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Authentic Pastilla
Moroccan Gastronomy | Chicken & Almonds
Traditional Recipe
Required Ingredients
| Base | 1 large chicken (approx. 1.5kg), 1kg thinly sliced onions. |
| Spices | Ginger, Cinnamon, Pure Saffron, Salt, Pepper, bunch of Parsley/Coriander. |
| Binding | 6 to 8 beaten eggs. |
| The Crunch | 250g blanched almonds, fried and crushed with sugar and cinnamon. |
| Wrapper | One pack of Pastilla sheets (or Filo/Brick pastry), melted butter. |
Preparation Steps
1 Cooking the Chicken:
Simmer the chicken with onions, spices, and herbs in a bit of water and oil. Once cooked, remove the chicken, debone it, and shred it finely.
2 The Egg Sauce:
Reduce the onion sauce until the water has completely evaporated. Pour in the beaten eggs while stirring vigorously until you obtain a smooth, dry stuffing.
3 Assembly:
In a buttered round mold, arrange the pastilla sheets, overlapping them. Spread a layer of chicken, then the onion/egg mixture, and finish with the crushed almonds.
4 Baking:
Fold the sheets toward the center, then cover with one final sheet to smooth the surface. Brush with butter and bake at 180°C for 20-30 mins until golden brown.
The Final Touch
Once out of the oven, generously dust the pastilla with icing sugar and create a lattice pattern using ground cinnamon. Serve hot to enjoy the contrast between the crispy pastry and the meltingly soft filling.
💡 Pro Tip: For a perfect filling, ensure the onion sauce is very dry before adding the eggs; otherwise, your pastilla may become soggy.
