The Candy-and-Savory Magic of This Straightforward Weeknight Skillet Hen Pie

Savory and candy all of sudden, 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) crammed 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 spotlight 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 components of bastila, however takes only a fraction of the time to organize.

I prepare dinner this model regularly at dwelling and love having the ability to deliver acquainted Moroccan flavors to the desk with out spending hours within the kitchen, plus my complete household loves it. My skillet bastila has turn 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,” have been a standard custom, typically crammed with meat, nuts, and spices. When this method reached Morocco, it was tailored to native tastes, incorporating Moroccan components and flavors. Spices like saffron, ginger, and cinnamon, in addition to the usage of almonds, replicate the dish’s Andalusian and Arab roots, whereas the usage of warqa pastry provides a definite Moroccan contact. 

Typically served throughout Moroccan festive events comparable to weddings, Eid, and different particular occasions, bastila is thought to be a strategy to honor friends and rejoice togetherness. The meticulous preparation and layering of components displays the care and generosity of Moroccan hospitality.

Whereas traditionally, pigeon or squab have been used within the pie, rooster has turn 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 outstanding is the pie’s layering of many alternative 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 number of notable shortcuts—most notably, cooking and layering the entire parts in a single skillet fairly than layering them in a casserole.

1. Begin with boneless, skinless rooster thighs. Conventional bastila normally entails 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 reduce into bite-size items earlier than cooking. These items are cooked with an fragrant base of onions, garlic, cilantro, floor ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and non-obligatory 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 components are merely layered over prime. I want rooster thighs over breast meat. The thighs’ greater fats content material ensures the meat stays juicy, and is vital 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 for those who want a vegetarian take, you’ll be able to swap mushrooms or tofu for the rooster. 

2. Use retailer purchased frozen phyllo dough. Once I make bastila in Morocco, I at all times use warqa pastry. It’s extensively accessible in supermarkets and souks all through the nation. However exterior of Northern Africa, warqa will be difficult to search 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 mild and crisp when baked.

3. Skip layering and crinkle the pastry as an alternative. Conventional bastila normally 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 dwelling, I skip the steps of layering the pastry between the filling, and as an alternative merely prime 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 happy to regulate the spices and honey degree to your liking for a sweeter or extra savory model. Whether or not you’re making ready this bastila for an important day or for a easy household dinner, this model lets you take pleasure in Moroccan delicacies with out the prolonged preparation within the consolation of your property kitchen.