Moroccan cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Bstila Rzza

Pastilla with rice pudding instead of pastry filling: chicken, ground almonds and cinnamon cream layered between crisp warqa sheets.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 10 sheets warqa pastry (or filo pastry)
• 600 g boneless chicken thighs
• 150 g round-grain rice
• 500 ml milk
• 150 g ground almonds
• 2 onions
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 1 tsp cinnamon (ground)
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 100 g clarified butter
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Finely dice the onions and put them in a pot with the chicken, saffron, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp clarified butter, pour in 300 ml water and cook covered for 30 min until the meat falls apart.
2. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, reduce the cooking liquid uncovered to a few spoonfuls and stir it back into the meat.
3. Cook the rice with the milk, 2 tbsp powdered sugar and the orange blossom water over low heat for 25–30 min, stirring occasionally, into a thick cream, then let it cool to lukewarm.
4. Toast the ground almonds in a dry pan for 3–4 min until golden brown and mix with 3 tbsp powdered sugar and half the cinnamon.
5. Brush a 26 cm dish with melted clarified butter, line it in a star pattern with six sheets, layer the chicken, almond mixture and rice pudding on top, fold in the edges and cover with four buttered sheets.
6. Bake at 190 °C (375 °F) for 25–30 min until the surface is crisp and golden brown, rest for 10 min and serve dusted with the remaining powdered sugar and cinnamon in a lattice pattern.