Moroccan Pies

A trip to Morocco in April is a jump into summer and a feast for all senses. The gardens are full of peas and beans. Apple blossoms follow almond flowers. All the perfumes of Arabia surround our senses and the gardens. Verbena, rosemary, lavender, orange blossoms, roses, cinnamon, cumin, saffron and curcuma are everywhere. They suffuse the Argane oil used for massage after the steam bath and awaken our meals. Spices decorate the markets and color clothes and food. A stop at an apothecary allows your nose to identify the essence of the country. It is its delicacy and sweetness, which seduces the palate.
From Marrakech the magnificent and winded road to Skoura goes 2600 meters high over the Atlas, and passes contrasting vistas of mossy quiet plateaus, high snowy mountains, arid precipices and torrents. Nested in an oasis of palm trees, Dar Alham, the house of dreams is where under the guidance of its chef, Mohamed El Mantouh, I finally learned to prepare pastillas, the thin ubiquitous crust used for savory and sweet rolls as well as for the sweet and sour pigeon pie which is the obligatory start to a repast fit for a sultan or a marriage. Although Moroccan cuisine is as diverse as its regions, pastilla is a microcosm: with each bite, a little piece of the country full of orange blossom, cinnamon, sugar, almond and herbs becomes a part of you. Today, instead of preparing the crust from scratch, one uses supermarket bricks or Greek phyllo sheets. The recipe provided serves 6. Along with a simple green salad it is sweet enough to be both main course and dessert. Replacing the pigeons by a chicken will ease the shopping. It is indispensable to serve mint tea along.

Pigeon pastilla (Medium difficulty, Preparation time: 2 hours, Can be prepared ahead, May use leftovers, Relatively expensive)

Ingredients:

For the crust
3 bricks about 9 inches in diameter (24 cm)
1 egg beaten for basting

For the meat garnish:
8 young pigeons emptied and cleaned, or alternately 1 large chicken
3 tablespoons fresh olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1cup (250 ml) chicken stock
1 large red onion minced

For the scrambled eggs:
4 eggs beaten
Pinch of salt

For the almond:
½ cup (80g) almond
¼ cup (40g) crystallized sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon plus extra for dusting

For the onion:
1 red onion
1tablespoon olive oil
1tablespoon sugar

For the herbs:
3 tablespoons minced parsley
3 tablespoons minced coriander

Material:
Food processor
Pressure cooker
Strainer
Basting brush
Pastry sheet covered with parchment paper

Set the pressure cooker on the high setting of the gas. Add the oil, the onion and sauté the pigeons. After 10 minutes, add pepper, garlic, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Finally pour the chicken broth. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes. Check that the meat tears away easily from the bones. Strain the pigeons and pour the broth back into the bottom of the pressure cooker. Bring the pigeons to room temperature.
Scramble the beaten eggs in the pigeon perfumed chicken broth over low gas.
Toast the almond, grind them coarsely and mix with the cinnamon and sugar.
Stir-fry the onion in the oil with the sugar and cinnamon.
Detach the meat from the pigeon bones.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (360 F).
To assemble the pastilla, place two layers of brick on a piece of parchment paper. Center the chicken or pigeon meat on the brick surface, leaving a margin of 3 inches (10 cm) all around. Layer on top successively the onions paste, a few drops of orange blossom water, the almond mixture, the scrambled eggs and finally the herbs. Apply a thin layer of raw mixed egg with a brush on the margin of the brick. Cover with the remaining brick and wrap the borders over, forming a tight package. Turn over on the pastry sheet and paint the whole top of the pastilla with the remaining egg. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden.
Set on a serving plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar.


Mint tea (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes, Cheap)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon green tea leaves per person
2 mint stems per person
1 coffee spoon crystallized sugar per person

Material:
1 fireproof teapot

Place the tea in the teapot. Add 1 tablespoon of hot water per spoonful of tea. Stir the pot energetically. Throw the water out, but not the tea. Repeat twice. Add the mint. Fill up the teapot with warm water. Add the sugar. Bring to a boil. Serve from high up in a glass. Pour the content of the glass back into the teapot. Repeat twice, before serving everybody.