Bisteeya (aka pastilla, bastilla, bisteeya, b'stilla, bstilla )

[hazardnc]

Years ago, I saw a recipe for Bisteeya (bisteya, bastila, etc) - or Moroccan pigeon pie. The dish sounded wonderful, but I was intimidated by the recipe - it sounded labor intensive and I was a novice home cook.

Now that I am an older and braver (though not necessarily better) cook, I want to make bisteeya - obviously I will have to substitute something for the pigeon.

Any egulleteers willing to share a recipe and hopefully some photos?

[archestratus]

Years ago, I saw a recipe for Bisteeya (bisteya, bastila, etc) - or Moroccan pigeon pie.  The dish sounded wonderful, but I was intimidated by the recipe - it sounded labor intensive and I was a novice home cook.

Now that I am an older and braver (though not necessarily better) cook, I want to make bisteeya - obviously I will have to substitute something for the pigeon.

Any egulleteers willing to share a recipe and hopefully some photos?

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WEll, yes, it is labor intensive. Here's two recipes:

http://www.cliffordawright.com/recipes/bastila.html

http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/bisteeya.html

[Wolfert]

The recipe on my website is for a wonderful fish bisteeya. The site below has my recipe for the chicken bisteeya. Nowadays, I use all chicken legs and thighs rather than whole chickens.

http://www.frigatezine.com/review/cooking/rco03de2.html

Edited May 10, 2005 by Richard Kilgore (log)

[Varmint]

Bisteeya is one of those magical dishes that isn't as complicated as it sounds. However, when you bring it to the table, you get lots of "oohs" and "ahs" because it's a dish not a lot of people have tried before and it has complex, but accessible, flavors. It's one of my all-time favorites.

I think I need to make one this weekend!

[Safran]

Bisteeya is...  I think I need to make one this weekend!

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Ouf...I'm relieved!! After reading your comment about cooking on your reno thread, I was getting worried!!!

[hazardnc]

The site below has my recipe for the chicken bisteeya. Nowadays, I use all chicken legs and thighs rather than whole chickens.

Ms. Wolfert, since you use only legs and thighs, I gather you omit the giblets?

I have a sanieh which we use for kibbi (and most often for biscuits!), that I am hoping I can use for the baking pan.

I am printing out the recipe so I can pick up the necessary ingredients. Luckily, I have all of the spices on hand.

[Wolfert]

Ms. Wolfert, since you use only legs and thighs, I gather you omit the giblets?I have a sanieh which we use for kibbi (and most often for biscuits!), that I am hoping I can use for the baking pan.

your sanieh will be perfect.

[hazardnc]

Question - the recipe supplied by Ms. Wolfert says to eat the bisteeya hot out of the oven. Since I know we won't eat te whole thing in one sitting, can it be reheated?

Also, I bought phyllo, but see that spring roll skins can be substituted. Texturally, what is the difference? I love the flakiness of phyllo.

[hazardnc]

oops! One more question.

The method says to rub the chicken with the garlic paste and then rinse and drain. Doesn't that wash off all of the paste?

[Wolfert]

Edited April 27, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[hazardnc]

Thank you for your response, Ms. Wolfert!

I already have the chicken in the pot. My plan is to assemble the dish this evening. I should have thought about halving the recipe

I previously misread the amount of salt (thought it was 2 tsps of salt) and then realized given the amount required, it was intended to draw out impurities. I followed the directions as given.

If I decide later to cut the recipe down, I suppose I can reserve some of the filler ingredients? I have seen recipes for individual bisteeyas. I wonder if I could adapt some using the spring roll wrappers and frying them? Or perhaps there is another use for the meat filling.

It smells very good and the color from the tumeric and saffron is lovely!

[chefzadi]

Sometimes I use leftover roast chicken with olives and preserved lemons for Trid or Bisteeya. My recipe for the chicken has saffron and turmeric in it. There is a photo in the couscous thread.

Individual cigars or rolls are fine. Or you can use the filling for a North African flavored quiche.

[hazardnc]

Here's a pictorial on my first attempt at bisteeya. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

This is the chicken in the pot ready to be cooked.

and here is the cooked chicken.

The first layer - the cooked chicken

The egg layer - photo is fuzzy

The almond layer

and the finished product. As you can see, a bit of a problem coming out of the pan!

[chefzadi]

Looks fantastic Hazard!

[Wolfert]

I agree with chef Zadi about all the other uses.

You can use phyllo or spring roll skins to fry stuffed triangles.

The bisteeya looks perfect to me.

[JPW]

Looks fantastic Hazard!

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What he said.

Wow!

[hazardnc]

Thanks Chef Zadi and Ms Wolfert!

My family loved the bisteeya. Not only was it my first time making it, it was my first time eating it. My husband said it was a unique taste with flavor combinations he's never had before. I think that was really referring to the "sweet" with the savory. He is quite used to cinnamon in savory dishes, but cannot tolerate cinnnamon in desserts! That said, he really liked it. This is a dish we have both talked about trying for many, many years. With no Moroccan restaurants here in Charlotte, we have not had the opportunity.

My 13-year-old son walked in after school and declared "something smells gooood!" He really loved the bisteeya. I think that says a lot about the dish.

I want to try some variations - and really like the idea of phyllo triangles. The would be perfect for a cocktail party with a mezze theme. In order to allow them to be made ahead, I imagine I should omit the egg, but the chicken and almond combo should be fine.

[Wolfert]

There is a delicious fish bisteeya, a bisteeya with preserved lemons instead of the sweet almonds, and a dessert bisteeya with layers of quick toasted phyllo leaves topped with a Moroccan version of creme anglaise scented with rose flower water.

In Morocco, the triangles are oftenmade by substituting lightly cooked Asian vermicelli noodles for the curdled eggs.

Edited April 27, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[FoodMan]

Great Job!!! This looks fantastic. I just printed the recipe out and now I want to try it as well. Any tips or suggestions hazardnc that we should know? Did you follow the recipe instuctions exactly?

Elie

[hazardnc]

Great Job!!! This looks fantastic. I just printed the recipe out and now I want to try it as well. Any tips or suggestions hazardnc that we should know? Did you follow the recipe instuctions exactly?

Elie

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Thanks! I did in fact follow the recipe exactly - something I always do on the first run. I don't think I would change anything in terms of ingredients. Just keep in mind Ms. Wolfert's recipe feeds 12. Her suggestion to cut the recipe in half would have been a good plan.

Even though bisteeya should be served hot, and I get a sense it does not reheat well, I could not bring myself to discard the leftovers - so I put them up in the fridge and will try to rewarm in the oven - I will let you know how that turns out.

Now, Elie, come to my house to teach me to make khoubz! I am so intimidated by anything requiring yeast...

[FoodMan]

Great Job!!! This looks fantastic. I just printed the recipe out and now I want to try it as well. Any tips or suggestions hazardnc that we should know? Did you follow the recipe instuctions exactly?

Elie

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Thanks! I did in fact follow the recipe exactly - something I always do on the first run. I don't think I would change anything in terms of ingredients. Just keep in mind Ms. Wolfert's recipe feeds 12. Her suggestion to cut the recipe in half would have been a good plan.

Even though bisteeya should be served hot, and I get a sense it does not reheat well, I could not bring myself to discard the leftovers - so I put them up in the fridge and will try to rewarm in the oven - I will let you know how that turns out.

Now, Elie, come to my house to teach me to make khoubz! I am so intimidated by anything requiring yeast...

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Just keep telling yoruself "yeats is my firend"...give it a name if you want , ok that is a little weird. Serioulsy, just follow my recipe for Pita bread, it has been very well "tested" by many on the boards.

Now to cut it in half, should I still end up with the same number of "layers", but with a smaller diameter pie? or will it even be shorter?

Elie

[hazardnc]

Ms.Wolfert suggests using a small pan - e.g. a pie pan. I used a saniyeh (11 1/2 inches). I would use fewer layers of phyllo also. I used just 2 sheets more than a 1/2 pound. I think a pie pan or cake pan is shallower than my saniyeh, so your finished product will probably be shorter, but you will also have 1/2 the meat and other filler ingredients as well.

I am inspired by the khoubz as everyone in my family loves khoubz wth zaatar and we cannot get it here. I will give it a shot tomorrow - afer all, how bad can I mess it up? My fear - too thick and too tough!

[Wolfert]

I think to keep the filling juicy: cut the recipe in half; use an 8- or 9-inch pie pan; and use the same number of pastry leaves, but cut them smaller.

The attached photo will give you an idea of the height.

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/interviews/.../wolfert04.html

Bisteeya is best when it's thickness measures between 1 and 1 1/4 inches .

Edited April 27, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[chefzadi]

Great interview. I just noticed this. The photos of you are lovely. I have to say though I chuckled a bit when I saw the one of "some of the unwilling cooks Wolfert eventually won over." I am quite familiar with this. Even my own maman gives me attitude.

[FlyingChopstik]

Well i tried to get insight on making homemade warqa dough on a different thread since my attempt at it produced warqa that i feel wouldnt hold up to making bastilla.

I really wanted to make the seafood bastilla recipe from Paula Wolferts The Food of Morocco. Back in 05 up until 09 it seemed that there were many posts on Moroccan cooking, even from Wolfert herself. I learned a lot from reading these old posts. Hopefully i can get you guys to awaken from your slumberand keep the discussion and sharing of Moroccan dishes going.

So back to the bastilla, i followed the recipe to Paulas Seafood, spinach and noodle bastilla recipe. I own the kindle version of the cookbook and there seemed to be a step missing because she says to cook the spinach until wilted, drain it, squeeze out excess water and then shred. After that step there is no other mention of the spinach.

I ended up adding it as a top layer over the noodles.

The biggest headache about this recipe is finding a suitable substitute for warqa dough. I didnt want to use the suggested filo dough because the texture is just not the same. I was too nervous about my own homemade warqa so i found Feuilles de Brik leaves at Kalustyans (in NYC) a 10 pack was $7. They were super easy to work withand the closest ive found to the real thing.

I even used some of my small warqa dough to layer on the bottom since i only had 1 package.

The recipe was very easy to follow though it took a long time with prepping and assembling. The end result was worth it. The charmoula was perfect. I do wish to add that i sauteed the fish, shrimps and scallops in butter, a little salt and pepper in a skillet for 5 minutes before adding to the pastry. I also marinated all of the seafood in the charmoula overnight. Scallops were not a part of the original recipe but i had some so i threw them in.

The bastilla was delicious and even better than the one i had in Essouira, Morrocco. It was a hit with the hubby and my friend. I strongly urge you to try the recipe with homemade warqa or brik pastry so you can get that nice crunch.

Edited October 17, 2014 by FlyingChopstik (log)