Moroccan Pastilla Recipe Combines Crispy Phyllo with Savory Chicken and Almond Filling

This Moroccan pastilla offers a unique Shabbat dish featuring a golden, crispy phyllo crust filled with juicy chicken, caramelized onions, almonds, and a subtly sweet, spiced blend. The recipe calls for 600 grams of phyllo dough, chicken thighs or breast, four large thinly sliced onions, half a cup of toasted chopped almonds, three eggs, chopped parsley, honey, cinnamon, turmeric, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and olive oil for brushing. Optional garnishing includes powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Preparation begins by sautéing onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until soft and caramelized. Chicken and spices are added and cooked thoroughly. The chicken is then shredded or sliced thinly and returned to the pan with onions, honey, and parsley. Beaten eggs are gradually mixed in to create a thick, juicy filling, which is cooled before folding in almonds.

A round baking pan is lined with several phyllo sheets brushed with olive oil, with some sheets extending beyond the edges. The filling is spread evenly, and the phyllo edges are folded over to enclose the filling, topped with additional phyllo sheets and brushed with oil. The pastilla is baked in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and crisp. After resting, it is traditionally dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving.