Moroccan · Main course
Seafood Pastilla (Bastilla bil Hout)
The coastal cousin of the famous sweet pigeon pastilla, seafood bastilla is the pride of Essaouira and Casablanca kitchens. Shrimp, squid and firm white fish are bound in a garlicky chermoula-spiked sauce with vermicelli, then wrapped in crackling warqa pastry. Unlike the sweet version there is no icing sugar — this one is all savoury, finished with just a whisper of lemon.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 300 g raw shrimp, peeled
- 300 g squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
- 300 g firm white fish (monkfish or hake), cubed
- 100 g fine vermicelli (sha'ariya), softened in warm water
- For chermoula: 1 large bunch coriander and parsley, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, pinch cayenne, juice of 1 lemon, 4 tbsp olive oil, salt
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 chopped tomatoes
- 10–12 sheets warqa pastry (or filo)
- 80 g butter, melted, for brushing
- 1 egg yolk, for sealing
Method
- 1
Make the chermoula
Blend the coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, oil and salt into a loose green paste. Toss the shrimp, squid and fish in half of it and marinate 20 minutes.
- 2
Cook the filling
Soften the onion in a little oil, add the tomato paste and tomatoes and cook to a thick base. Add the marinated seafood and the rest of the chermoula and cook just until the shrimp turn pink and the squid is tender, about 6–8 minutes. Do not overcook the squid or it turns rubbery.
- 3
Bind and drain
Stir in the softened, drained vermicelli so it soaks up the sauce. Tip the filling into a sieve set over a bowl and drain thoroughly — a wet filling makes the pastry soggy.
- 4
Layer the pie
Brush a round pan with butter and fan out overlapping warqa sheets, brushing each. Pile in the drained seafood filling, fold the overhang over the top, and seal with two more buttered sheets tucked under. Brush the top with egg yolk and butter.
- 5
Bake
Bake at 190°C for about 30 minutes, until deep golden and crisp top and bottom.
- 6
Serve
Rest 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve hot with lemon wedges — no sugar or cinnamon on this one.
Chef's tips
- Drain the filling hard before wrapping; trapped seafood liquid is the number-one cause of a collapsed, soggy pastilla.
- Add the squid last and cook it briefly — a minute too long and it goes to rubber.
- Keep unused warqa or filo under a damp cloth so it doesn't dry and crack while you build the pie.
Frequently asked questions
How is seafood pastilla different from the classic sweet one?
The famous pastilla is sweet-savoury poultry dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon. Seafood pastilla is entirely savoury — fish and shellfish in chermoula, finished only with lemon. It is the speciality of Morocco's Atlantic coast, especially Essaouira.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble the pie, keep it cold, and bake just before serving so the pastry stays crisp. The cooked seafood filling can be made a few hours ahead and kept drained and chilled.
What fish works best?
Firm-fleshed fish that holds together — monkfish, hake or cod. Avoid delicate flaky fillets, which break down and release water into the pastry.