Bastilla (or pastilla) — Morocco's extraordinary sweet-savoury pastry of shredded poultry, egg custard, and toasted almonds in gossamer-thin warqa pastry, dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon — is one of the most technically complex and culturally significant dishes in the world. It is made for weddings, celebrations, and honoured guests — never for a casual weekday. The preparation in its traditional form requires warqa pastry (a Moroccan pastry thinner than filo, made by smearing dough onto a hot tava and peeling it off in sheets), which is among the most skilled pastry-making techniques in any tradition. The filling is a precise layering: poultry braised in onion, ginger, and saffron and shredded; egg whisked into the poultry broth and scrambled with herbs; toasted almonds with cinnamon and sugar. These three layers are enclosed in the pastry, baked until golden, and finished with the sweet-savoury contrast of icing sugar and cinnamon dusted over the top. The sweet-savoury contrast is not a quirk — it is the defining characteristic of Moroccan cuisine's al-Andalus heritage.
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IThe Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
2
squab (450g each)
plucked and cleaned
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200g
onion
sliced
Your own market
100g
carrot
cut into chunks
Your own market
50g
celery
cut into chunks
Your own market
6
coriander seeds
Your own market
6
black peppercorns
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2
bay leaves
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1
cinnamon stick
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
100g
smen (preserved butter) or clarified butter
Your own market
200g
onions
sliced thin
Your own market
60g
shelled almonds
blanched and split
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60g
shelled pistachios
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15g
fresh coriander
chopped
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15g
fresh parsley
chopped
Your own market
4g
ground cinnamon
Your own market
100ml
reserved poaching liquid
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150g
phyllo sheets
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60g
melted butter
Your own market
20g
powdered sugar
Your own market
3g
ground cinnamon
for garnish
Your own market
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Poach squab with carrot, celery, onion, coriander seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick in salted water for 35 minutes; cool in liquid, then shred meat finely; reserve 100ml poaching liquid.
2
Heat smen in heavy pot; sauté sliced onions until golden and caramelized, 15 minutes; add almonds and pistachios, toast 2 minutes.
3
Fold in shredded squab, fresh herbs, ground cinnamon, and ginger; season with salt and white pepper.
4
Whisk egg yolks with reserved poaching liquid; fold into filling off heat until cohesive.
5
Layer 4 phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter; spread quarter of filling across lower third, fold edges inward, then roll into tight cylinder.
6
Arrange seam-side down on buttered sheet tray; repeat with remaining phyllo and filling to create 4 rolls.
7
Brush tops generously with remaining butter; bake at 190°C until deep golden, 25–28 minutes.
8
Dust with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon; serve warm.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. Traditional bastilla uses pigeon; chicken thighs are the contemporary substitute (and are more practical for home cooking without loss of character)
For the most authentic flavour: steep a pinch of saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm water and add to the braising liquid — the saffron aroma permeates the filling
The traditional Moroccan sequence: bastilla is the first course at a wedding banquet, followed by a tagine, followed by couscous — it is an opener, not the main
VII
Origin & Lineage
Morocco; bastilla derives from the Al-Andalus culinary tradition of Muslim Spain (8th–15th century); carried to Morocco by Andalusian refugees after the Reconquista; considered the pinnacle of Moroccan haute cuisine.