Moroccan Pastilla Spiced Pie (Printable)

A crisp phyllo pie filled with spiced meat, almonds, and cinnamon, offering a unique sweet-savory blend.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp ground ginger
06 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
08 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 0.5 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water (optional)
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - 2 cups chicken stock
13 - 0.5 cup slivered toasted almonds
14 - 0.33 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
15 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro

→ Egg Mixture

16 - 6 large eggs
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
18 - 0.25 tsp salt

→ Pastry & Assembly

19 - 10 sheets phyllo pastry
20 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
21 - 0.5 cup powdered sugar
22 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add chicken thighs and spices including ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg, saffron (if using), and salt. Brown chicken on all sides for 5 minutes.
02 - Pour in chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove chicken, let cool, then shred meat, discarding bones and skin.
03 - Reduce the cooking liquid over medium heat until slightly thickened and approximately 1 cup remains.
04 - Return shredded chicken to the pot. Add parsley, cilantro, and toasted almonds, stirring to blend well. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
05 - Melt butter in a separate pan over medium-low heat. Beat eggs with salt, add to pan, and stir gently until softly scrambled but still moist. Fold eggs into the cooled chicken mixture.
06 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 10-inch round baking dish. Layer 5 phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter and allowing edges to overhang. Spread chicken and egg filling evenly over the base, then fold overhanging phyllo to cover filling.
07 - Cover with 4 more phyllo sheets, each brushed with butter and tucking edges inside the pan. Place final buttered phyllo sheet on top.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and crisp. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
09 - Dust the top generously with powdered sugar and cinnamon to create the signature sweet-savory finish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a conversation starter—the sweet-savory combination genuinely surprises people in the best way.
  • Once you understand the layers, it's less intimidating than it looks, and the payoff is absolutely worth the effort.
  • Phyllo is forgiving if you treat it gently, and the golden, crispy result feels like you've accomplished something real.
02 -
  • Keep your phyllo covered with a damp kitchen towel while you work—it dries out in seconds, and dried phyllo cracks instead of crackling.
  • Don't skip reducing the cooking liquid; a watery filling will make your pastry soggy and ruin all your careful layering work.
  • The scrambled eggs must be barely set, almost soft—this binds everything together without making the filling dense or heavy.
03 -
  • Make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate it—this actually improves the flavor and makes assembly faster when you're ready to bake.
  • Room temperature phyllo is easier to work with than cold phyllo, which becomes brittle and tears; let it sit out for about 20 minutes before you start layering.
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