Moroccan Bstilla Food

MOROCCAN SEAFOOD BASTILLA RECIPE

Steps:

• If starting with raw shrimp in the shell, allow time for cleaning it. Remove the shell, head, tail, and legs from the shrimp. Deveining the shrimp is optional but I always do it. Wash the cleaned shrimp and drain thoroughly. The cleaned shrimp can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day until needed.
• In a small saucepan or pot, combine the grated tomato, garlic, parsley, oil and salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low to medium heat until a thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the hot sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add the shrimp. Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and saute for 1 or 2 minutes, just until the shrimp is white and cooked through. Drain and reserve the liquids and set the shrimp aside.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add the swordfish steak. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook, turning several times, until the fish is cooked and flakes easily. Drain and reserve the liquids. Break the fish off the bone into bite-size pieces, discarding any skin, and set aside.
• In a skillet with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the calamari and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cover and braise the calamari in the butter and its own juices for 30 minutes or longer, until the calamari is very tender. Add a tiny bit of water during cooking only if the liquids evaporate before the squid is cooked.When the calamari is cooked, drain and reserve the liquids and set the calamari aside.
• Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl of cold water for 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop the mushrooms.
• At the same time, soak the Chinese vermicelli in a large bowl of cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes, until tender enough to cut but not fully plumped. Drain and chop into 2" to 3" strands.
• Transfer the chopped rice vermicelli to the pot with the tomato sauce. Add the reserved liquids from cooking the fish and seafood and stir to combine. (I find tongs the easiest to use for this.)
• Simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the vermicelli is tender and most of the liquids have been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
• Transfer the Chinese vermicelli to a very large bowl. Add the shrimp, calamari, fish and chopped mushrooms. Stir gently to combine.
• Taste for seasoning. The filling should be quite flavorful and zesty, a bit salty and spicy to the tongue. Adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce and/or hot sauce as desired. Note that some versions of seafood bastilla have a lot of heat due to hearty additions of hot sauce. Use your own palate as your guide.
• Working on parchment paper or aluminum foil allows for easy transfer of the bastilla once it's assembled. Overlap sheets of parchment paper or foil to create a large work surface of about 17"x 17".
• Brush the paper or foil with melted butter and then a little vegetable oil. Overlap sheets of warqa pastry, shiny side down, to fully cover this area. Allow the pastry sheets to drape well beyond the edge of your work area.
• Brush the pastry leaves with melted butter and add a single 12" round layer of warqa, shiny side down, to the center. Brush it with melted butter. This center circle serves as your guide and base for the bastilla.
• Place the seafood filling on the circular base, packing and shaping the filling to fit the 12" round. Drizzle melted butter over the filling then top with the grated cheese (if using).
• Gather the excess pastry up and around the filling, enclosing as much of it as you can. Try to maintain a nice circular shape with smooth sides. Trim excess folds of dough that create unwanted bulk. Brush the folded pastry with butter.
• Fully enclose the filling by arranging several more overlapping pastry leaves, shiny side up, over the top of the pie . Allow the edges of the pastry sheets to drape over the sides then tuck them carefully under the pie to finish shaping the bastilla.
• Brush the top and side of the bastilla generously with melted butter then with the egg yolk. (I use my hands for this step.)
• The bastilla is now ready for baking. Proceed to the next step, or wrap the bastilla in plastic (along with the parchment paper or foil base) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze for up to 2 or 3 months.
• Preheat your oven to 350° F (180° C).
• Place the bastilla (still on its parchment paper or foil base) on a large baking sheet or pan. A flat sheet allows for easiest transfer; you can line it with foil and crimp up the edges to catch any drippings.)
• Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and crispy; about 35 to 45 minutes. Allow additional time if placing a frozen bastilla directly in the oven.
• Remove from the oven and if garnishing with cheese, sprinkle it over the hot bastilla. If your cheese doesn't have a low melting point, return the bastilla to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
• Carefully transfer the bastilla to a large serving platter. Garnish as desired with shrimp, lemon slices and parsley. Serve immediately.

B'STILLA

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt ¼ cup of butter over moderate heat and add chickens, parsley, onion, saffron and 2 cups water.
• Bring mixture to boil and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to cutting board, reserving liquid, and let cool.
• Shred chicken and return meat to liquid.
• Bring to boil and cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated.
• Let cool.
• In a bowl, combine almonds and 1 cup of sugar.
• Add ½ of almond mixture to chicken, stir in beaten eggs, pepper and 2 tsps cinnamon.
• Preheat oven to 330°F and place rack in middle of oven.
• Line a buttered 13 x 14 inch ovenproof dish with 1 sheet of phyllo.
• Brush generously with butter.
• Layer 5 more sheets of phyllo in the same way, brushing each one generously with butter.
• Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over phyllo and top with chicken.
• Cover with remaining 4 sheets of phyllo, buttered, folding in edges to enclosed filling and brushing more butter over top.
• Bake pastry for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
• Sift remaining ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon over top.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE (B'STILLA)

Steps:

• Heat chicken broth in a 4-quart saucepan; add in saffron, garlic, cinnamon sticks, coriander, turmeric, onion, and carrot.
• Bring broth to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon sticks from broth, decrease heat to medium.
• Stir in parsley and eggs, stirring eggs until they appear like scrambled eggs, but not dry.
• Remove the eggs and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander set over a bowl (refrigerate until ready to proceed).
• In a heavy pan, melt the butter; add in the almonds and brown them in the butter, being careful not to burn them.
• Remove from heat, and cool.
• Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; add the 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; pulse on and off until the almonds are ground; set aside until ready to proceed.
• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Unwrap the phyllo dough and cover it with a clean kitchen towel.
• Brush a 13 x 9 inch ovenproof baking dish with melted butter.
• Brush a sheet of phyllo with melted butter, sprinkle it with some of the bread crumbs, and place it in the baking dish; repeat with 5 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter and sprinkling it with crumbs (you will have 6 sheets total).
• Spread half the egg and vegetable mixture over the phyllo, and sprinkle the filling with half of the ground almonds.
• Cover with 2 more sheets of phyllo brushed with butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs.
• Cover with all the chicken, then top with 2 more sheets of phllyo brushed with butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs.
• Top with remaining egg/vegetable mixture and the remaining ground almonds.
• Cover the pie with 4 more sheets of phyllo, each buttered and sprinkled with bread crumbs (at this point the pie may be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking).
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the phyllo is golden brown.
• Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon; serve.

INDIVIDUAL B'STILLAS (MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND ALMOND PIES)

Steps:

• To make the almond sugar:
• In a food processor grind fine almonds, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Almond sugar may be made 1 day ahead and kept covered in a cool dark place.
• To make the filling:
• In a small bowl combine saffron with hot water and let stand 10 minutes.
• In a heavy 4-quart kettle sauté onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add ginger, ras el hanout, and pepper. Cook mixture, stirring, 3 minutes.
• Add chicken parts, broth, and saffron mixture and simmer, covered, turning the chicken once, until chicken is very tender and cooked through, 25 to 35 minutes. Let chicken stand in cooking liquid off heat 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving cooking liquid and solids, and, when cool enough to handle, shred chicken, discarding skin and bones.
• Measure reserved cooking liquid and solids and if necessary boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 3/4 cups. Reduce heat to moderate and add eggs in a stream, whisking. Cook mixture, stirring, until eggs are set, about 3 minutes. Remove kettle from heat and pour egg mixture into a coarse sieve set over a bowl. Let mixture drain undisturbed 10 minutes before discarding liquid. Transfer egg mixture to a bowl. Stir in chicken, parsley, coriander, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and chill. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter 2 large shallow baking pans.
• In a small saucepan melt remaining 9 tablespoons butter and keep warm but not hot.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half lengthwise and stack between 2 sheets wax paper. Cover wax paper sheets with a kitchen towel. On a work surface arrange a half sheet of phyllo with short side facing you and brush with melted butter. On this, layer and brush 3 more half sheets of phyllo in the same manner.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon almond sugar on short side of phyllo nearest you to cover about 2 1/2-by 4-inch area, leaving a 1-inch border on 3 edges. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture over almond sugar and spread out slightly. Top chicken mixture with 1 more tablespoon almond sugar and roll up filling in phyllo, folding in sides after first roll. Transfer b'stilla immediately.
• Form 8 more b'stillas in the same manner with remaining phyllo, butter, almond sugar, and chicken mixture, chilling each b'stilla as it is made. B'stillas may be prepared up to this point 4 hours ahead and kept chilled, covered lightly with plastic wrap once cold.
• Bake chilled b'stillas in oven until tops and ends are puffed and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool b'stillas slightly on a rack. Sprinkle b'stillas with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon and serve warm.
• To make the ras el hanout:
• In a spice grinder or cleaned coffee grinder grind fine aniseed, fennel seeds, allspice berries, cardamom seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cuminseed, and red pepper flakes, In a small bowl stir together ground spice mixture, mace, ginger, and nutmeg until combine well. Ras el hanout may be stored in a tightly closed jar in a cool dark place up to 6 months. Makes about 1/4 cup.