Moroccan · main
Bastilla (Pastilla)
Bastilla (Pastilla) reads richness 8.3, umami 7.2 and sweetness 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Moroccan main, about 1 hr 45 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 7.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 4.8 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 9.4 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Richness 8.3 · Umami 7.2 · Sweetness 5.7 · Citrus 4.4 · Nutty 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.4 · Salinity 3.2 · Allium 3.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Fruity 2.2 · Floral 2.1 · Sourness 1.4 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Heat 0.7
What's in it (17)
- 12 sheets warqa
- 2 lbs pigeon
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup almonds, toasted and ground
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp saffron
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp smen, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp orange blossom water
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting
Time & effort: about 1 hr 45 min (1 hr active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 226.8 kcal, 4.8 g protein, 7.5 g fat, 36.5 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (4 steps)
- Braise the bird with onions, herbs, and spices until very tender, then shred the meat and cook with eggs into a thick mixture.
- Toast and grind almonds with sugar and cinnamon for the sweet layer.
- Layer warqa sheets in a greased pan, alternate the meat and almond fillings, fold the pastry over the top, and bake until golden.
- Dust with powdered sugar and decorate with cinnamon before serving.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Rendang (Malaysian Dry Beef Curry) — Malaysian
- Kalio Daging (Minang Beef Stopped at the Wet Stage) — Indonesian
- Chicken Sausage and Peppers Pasta — Italian-American
- Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Peppers — Italian-American
- Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola — Italian-American
Keep reading: what richness, umami, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.