How-to guide
How to Make Pastilla — Morocco's Sweet-Savoury Pigeon or Chicken Pie
Pastilla (bastilla) is Morocco's showstopping festive pie — a golden dome of crisp warqa pastry enclosing spiced, shredded poultry, a layer of creamy saffron-scented eggs and a sweet crushed-almond layer, finished with a dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon. The interplay of savoury meat, sweet almond and crisp pastry is uniquely Moroccan. Traditionally made with pigeon, it is now usually chicken. It takes effort but is a genuine centrepiece. This guide walks through the layers. Find more celebration dishes on our Moroccan dishes index.
About 2.5 hours
Step by step
- 1
Cook the poultry
Gently braise chicken (or pigeon) with onions, ginger, saffron, cinnamon, a little turmeric, and fresh coriander and parsley until very tender. Lift out the meat, then reduce the cooking liquid right down. Shred the meat off the bone into small pieces, discarding skin and bone.
- 2
Make the egg layer
Whisk eggs into the reduced, still-flavourful cooking liquid over low heat, stirring, until they set into soft, moist curds — not dry scrambled egg. This savoury, saffrony egg layer binds the filling and adds richness. Season it and set it aside.
- 3
Prepare the almond layer
Fry or toast blanched almonds until golden, then crush or grind them with icing sugar, a little cinnamon and a drop of orange blossom water into a sweet, crunchy mixture. This sweet almond layer is the counterpoint to the savoury meat and is central to pastilla's character.
- 4
Line the tin with pastry
Brush a round tin or ovenproof pan and layer several sheets of warqa or filo, buttered between each, letting them overhang the edge. Work quickly and keep spare sheets covered so they do not dry out. The pastry base and overhang will wrap the whole pie.
- 5
Layer and enclose
Spread the shredded meat over the pastry, then the egg layer, then the sweet almonds, keeping the layers distinct. Fold the overhanging pastry over the top and cover with a few more buttered sheets, tucking them down the sides to seal the dome neatly.
- 6
Bake and dust
Bake in a hot oven until the pastry is deep golden and crisp all over, then carefully invert or serve from the tin. Just before serving, dust the top generously with icing sugar and criss-cross lines of cinnamon. Serve warm, in wedges, as a spectacular starter or centrepiece.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Making the egg layer dry and rubbery instead of soft, moist curds.
- A wet filling that turns the crisp pastry soggy — reduce the liquid well.
- Letting the warqa or filo dry out and crack while you assemble.
- Skimping on butter between the pastry layers, so it does not turn crisp.
- Skipping the sugar-and-cinnamon top, which defines the sweet-savoury contrast.
Tips from the kitchen
- Reduce the poultry cooking liquid right down before adding the eggs, to keep the filling dry.
- Butter every pastry sheet generously for a shatteringly crisp crust.
- Keep the three layers — meat, egg, almond — distinct for the classic effect.
- Chicken is the usual modern choice; pigeon is the traditional original.
- Dust with icing sugar and cinnamon only just before serving so it stays neat.
Questions
What is pastilla traditionally made with?
Traditionally pigeon, which gives a rich, gamey filling, though chicken is now the most common choice and is easier to find. There are also seafood versions filled with fish and shellfish. Whatever the protein, the defining features are the crisp warqa pastry, the sweet almond layer and the sugar-and-cinnamon top.
Why is pastilla both sweet and savoury?
The contrast is the whole point and a hallmark of Moroccan festive cooking. Spiced, savoury poultry and saffron eggs sit against a sweet crushed-almond layer and a dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon. The combination of savoury, sweet and the crisp, buttery pastry is what makes pastilla so distinctive and celebratory.
Can I make pastilla ahead?
You can prepare the components — cooked shredded meat, egg layer and almond mixture — a day ahead and assemble the pie shortly before baking, which is how many cooks manage it for a feast. It is best baked fresh so the pastry is crisp. Add the sugar and cinnamon topping only just before serving.
What pastry does pastilla use?
Warqa, the very thin Moroccan pastry, is traditional, brushed with butter between many layers to bake up shatteringly crisp. Filo is the standard substitute and works well. Because these sheets dry out fast, keep them under a damp cloth as you build the pie, and butter each layer for the best crust.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.