Main Course · Dinner · Middle Eastern · African ·

Hearty Moroccan Bastilla

Name: Hearty Moroccan Bastilla
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 3 whole pigeons or 3 lbs chicken, cleaned and boned; 2 onions, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ cup cilantro, chopped; Salt and pepper, to taste; 1 cup whole blanched almonds; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon orange blossom water; 6 eggs, beaten; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 lb phyllo pastry; ½ cup melted butter; Powdered sugar and cinnamon, for dusting

This traditional Moroccan dish combines delicate layers of crispy phyllo pastry with a rich pigeon filling and a touch of sweet almonds. Perfect for special occasions, this dish bursts with exotic fla

4(501 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·August 7, 2025

Hearty Moroccan Bastilla — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h 10 min

Cook

3 h 30 min

Difficulty

Advanced

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Pigeon Filling

For the Almond Mixture

For the Egg Mixture

For Assembly

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 774 kcal
Protein: 41 g
Carbs: 36.33 g
Fat: 52.5 g
Fiber: 4.67 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 4643 kcal
Protein: 246 g
Carbs: 218 g
Fat: 315 g
Fiber: 28 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
3 whole pigeons or 3 lbs chicken cleaned and boned	1200	160	0	60	0
2 onions finely chopped	88	2	20	0	4
4 cloves garlic minced	18	1	4	0	0
1 teaspoon ground ginger	6	0	1	0	0
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon	6	0	2	0	1
1 teaspoon turmeric	8	0	1	1	0
2 tablespoons olive oil	240	0	0	28	0
½ cup cilantro chopped	1	0	0	0	0
Salt and pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0
1 cup whole blanched almonds	720	26	28	62	14
2 tablespoons powdered sugar	60	0	15	0	0
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon	6	0	2	0	1
1 tablespoon orange blossom water	0	0	0	0	0
6 eggs beaten	420	36	2	28	0
1 tablespoon butter	100	0	0	12	0
1 lb phyllo pastry	960	21	140	32	8
½ cup melted butter	800	0	0	92	0
Powdered sugar and cinnamon for dusting	10	0	3	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Marinating the Pigeon

1
Rinse and Dry
Rinse and pat pigeons dry.
2
Mix Marinade
In a large bowl, mix pigeons with onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, olive oil, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
3
Refrigerate
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor infusion.

Preparing the Almond Mixture

1
Toast Almonds
Toast almonds in a dry pan until golden brown.
2
Grind Mixture
Allow almonds to cool, then grind with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and orange blossom water until coarse.
3
Store
Set aside in an airtight container until needed.

How to Make Hearty Moroccan Bastilla

Total time: 4 h 40 min · Yields 6 servings

1
Stewing the Pigeon
Heat the marinated pigeon mixture in a pot over medium heat. Cook until meat is tender and can be easily shredded.
2
Cooking the Egg Mixture
Melt butter in a nonstick pan, add the beaten eggs, and cook slowly until just set. Stir gently to avoid scrambling completely.
3
Layering the Bastilla
In a greased baking dish, layer buttered phyllo sheets, alternating with layers of pigeon filling, almond mixture, and eggs until all ingredients are used. Seal with additional phyllo layers.