The Candy-and-Savory Magic of This Simple Weeknight Skillet Rooster Pie

Savory and candy suddenly, rooster bastila—additionally spelled bastilla, pastilla, or pastila—is a centerpiece at most celebratory Moroccan meals, and considered one of Morocco’s iconic dishes. It options layers of crispy warqa (skinny Moroccan pastry, much like phyllo dough) stuffed with a aromatic combination of shredded rooster, scrambled eggs, and toasted almonds. In its conventional preparation, the rooster is stewed with onions, garlic, floor ginger, saffron, and cinnamon, intricately layered with the eggs and almonds between sheets of the pastry, then encased in pastry and baked till golden and crisp. Simply earlier than serving, it’s dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon to focus on its signature play of candy and savory flavors.

Whereas beautiful and unforgettable, this conventional preparation described above requires ample time and talent to construct. In busy Moroccan households, shortcuts have emerged through the years, permitting for faster but equally scrumptious variations of the dish just like the one I am sharing right here. My skillet bastila recipe retains the signature flavors and key elements of bastila, however takes only a fraction of the time to arrange.

I cook dinner this model regularly at house and love having the ability to convey acquainted Moroccan flavors to the desk with out spending hours within the kitchen, plus my complete household loves it. My skillet bastila has change into a go-to for us, particularly on busy days after we nonetheless need one thing comforting and particular.

A Transient Historical past of Bastila and Its Many Variations

Bastila is taken into account considered one of Morocco’s nationwide dishes, representing the nation’s penchant for mixing points of various cultures and cuisines into actually particular dishes. The origins of the dish are rooted within the fusion of Moorish, Andalusian, and Arab culinary traditions. It’s believed that the Moors launched the dish to Morocco through the Reconquista within the fifteenth century after they fled Spain. Within the Andalusia area in southern Spain, savory pies, or “pastillas,” had been a standard custom, typically stuffed with meat, nuts, and spices. When this system reached Morocco, it was tailored to native tastes, incorporating Moroccan elements and flavors. Spices like saffron, ginger, and cinnamon, in addition to using almonds, replicate the dish’s Andalusian and Arab roots, whereas using warqa pastry provides a definite Moroccan contact. 

Typically served throughout Moroccan festive events reminiscent of weddings, Eid, and different particular occasions, bastila is considered a approach to honor company and rejoice togetherness. The meticulous preparation and layering of elements displays the care and generosity of Moroccan hospitality.

Whereas traditionally, pigeon or squab had been used within the pie, rooster has change into the favored filling over time because of its wider availability. In some coastal areas of Morocco, seafood variations of bastila are additionally widespread, providing a lighter, extra delicate variation on this in any other case wealthy dish.

3 Keys to Constructing an Simpler Bastila at Residence

As identified above, what makes bastila so exceptional is the pie’s layering of many various flavors and textures: The spiced rooster is tender and juicy, the scrambled eggs add richness, and the roasted almonds present a satisfying crunch. The saucy filling is countered by the skinny, flaky crisp shell of the warqa pastry. My less complicated one-skillet model celebrates all of those contrasting combos of flavors and textures, however with a couple of notable shortcuts—most notably, cooking and layering the entire components in a single skillet fairly than layering them in a casserole.

1. Begin with boneless, skinless rooster thighs. Conventional bastila often includes stewing a complete rooster after which shredding the meat to include into the filling. Right here I skip this well timed step and begin with boneless, skinless rooster thighs minimize into bite-size items earlier than cooking. These items are cooked with an fragrant base of onions, garlic, cilantro, floor ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and optionally available saffron and simmered with inventory till the meat is tender and coated in a saucy glaze. 

To maintain the dish easy, the cooked rooster stays within the skillet and the remaining elements are merely layered over high. I want rooster thighs over breast meat. The thighs’ greater fats content material ensures the meat stays juicy, and is essential right here for the reason that rooster is each simmered and baked. For an excellent faster model, you need to use leftover cooked rooster or shredded rotisserie rooster. And in the event you want a vegetarian take, you may swap mushrooms or tofu for the rooster. 

2. Use retailer purchased frozen phyllo dough. After I make bastila in Morocco, I all the time use warqa pastry. It’s broadly accessible in supermarkets and souks all through the nation. However outdoors of Northern Africa, warqa will be difficult to seek out, and I like to recommend utilizing retailer purchased frozen phyllo dough as a substitute. In comparison with phyllo, Warqa is barely thicker, a bit extra glutinous, and bakes up only a trace crisper phyllo. However these variations are comparatively minor and each kinds of comparatively skinny sheets of pastry will flip gentle and crisp when baked.

3. Skip layering and crinkle the pastry as a substitute. Conventional bastila often has 3 to 4 layers of pastry dough folded into the pie between the layers of the rooster filling, eggs, and almonds, earlier than it’s all wrapped in a closing casing of dough to create a crunchy shell. To recreate bastila’s signature crispy pastry topping at house, I skip the steps of layering the pastry between the filling, and as a substitute merely high the pie with crinkled phyllo sheets to cowl all the skillet. This eliminates the necessity for assembling the pastry layer by layer, but nonetheless creates bastila’s attribute crunch. Brushing each sheet with melted butter earlier than crinkling and assembling ensures the entire phyllo will crisp up and switch golden.

Be at liberty to regulate the spices and honey degree to your liking for a sweeter or extra savory model. Whether or not you’re getting ready this bastila for an important day or for a easy household dinner, this model means that you can get pleasure from Moroccan delicacies with out the prolonged preparation within the consolation of your house kitchen.