Moroccan Fish Pastilla

Ingredients

• 30 g Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 30 g Fresh coriander (chopped)
• 1 piece Preserved lemon (small lemon, chopped)
• 4 cloves Garlic cloves (crushed or minced)
• 5 pickles Pickles (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce (low-sodium if possible)
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika (well packed)
• 0.25 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)
• 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp Ground cumin
• 0.25 tsp Cayenne pepper (or harissa instead)
• 3 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
• 5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 70 g Unsalted butter (cut into cubes, used for cooking and brushing)
• 1 kg Peeled shrimp (raw, peeled, uncooked)
• 500 g Frozen calamari (squid) (rings, thawed)
• 200 g Button mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 piece Onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 piece Leek (white part only, sliced)
• 700 g Cod fillet (skinless, white)
• 100 g Chinese vermicelli (cooked al dente then drained)
• 470 g Filo pastry sheets (thawed, used entirely for a 40 cm pan)
• 50 g Grated cheese (optional) (parmesan or gruyère for garnish)
• 1 piece Fresh lemon (for garnish) (cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. Prepare the spices and condiments

   Finely chop the parsley, coriander, preserved lemon, garlic, pickles and ginger. Mix with mustard, soy sauce, paprika, pepper, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to form the charmoula.

   Time: PT20M

2. Sauté the shrimp

   In a hot pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and a small piece of butter. Sauté the shrimp 3‑4 minutes over high heat until pink, then remove.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high heat

3. Sauté the calamari

   In the same pan, add a bit of butter and charmoula, then the frozen calamari. Cook 4‑5 minutes over medium heat, remove and set aside.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

4. Sauté the mushrooms

   Melt butter in the pan, add sliced mushrooms and brown for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

5. Sauté onion and leek

   In another pan, sauté the onion and leek with a drizzle of oil and butter until golden.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

6. Bake the cod

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the cod fillet in a dish, coat with charmoula, bake 10 minutes (maximum 12) until just cooked.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Cook the vermicelli

   Bring a pot of water to a boil, plunge the vermicelli for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

   Time: PT10M

8. Mix the filling ingredients

   In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, calamari, mushrooms, onion/leek, vermicelli and charmoula. Mix well.

   Time: PT10M

9. Flake the cooked fish

   Remove the cod from the oven, discard any bones and coarsely flake. Add to the previous mixture.

   Time: PT5M

10. Prepare the pan and butter/oil

    Lightly butter the baking sheet and brush with a mixture of olive oil and melted butter.

    Time: PT5M

11. Assemble the pastilla

    Lay the first filo sheet on the pan, brush with butter/oil. Repeat until you have 3‑4 layers. Spread half the filling, cover with a new layer of filo (2‑3 sheets, each brushed). Repeat with the remaining filling then finish with 3‑4 filo sheets, all brushed.

    Time: PT20M

12. Brush the top and pierce

    Brush the top generously with the remaining butter, sprinkle a little paprika and pierce the surface with a fork or skewer to let steam escape.

    Time: PT5M

13. Final baking of the pastilla

    Bake the pastilla at 180°C (static heat) for 1 hour, until the pastry is golden and crisp.

    Time: PT1H

    Temperature: 180°C

14. Garnish and serve

    Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with grated cheese, lemon wedges and, if desired, a lemon wedge. Cut into portions with scissors or a sharp knife and serve hot.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Fresh parsley: coriander
• Instead of Fresh coriander: parsley
• Instead of Preserved lemon: lemon zest + salt
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of Pickles: capers
• Instead of Fresh ginger: ground ginger (½ tsp)
• Instead of Dijon mustard: whole grain mustard
• Instead of Soy sauce: tamari
• Instead of Sweet paprika: pimentón
• Instead of Black pepper: white pepper
• Instead of Ground turmeric: saffron (small amount)
• Instead of Ground cumin: ground coriander
• Instead of Cayenne pepper: harissa
• Instead of Fresh lemon juice: apple cider vinegar (½ tbsp)
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Unsalted butter: ghee, coconut oil
• Instead of Peeled shrimp: octopus, white fish pieces
• Instead of Frozen calamari (squid): cuttlefish, octopus
• Instead of Button mushrooms: rehydrated black mushrooms
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Leek: scallion
• Instead of Cod fillet: haddock, hake
• Instead of Chinese vermicelli: thin rice noodles
• Instead of Filo pastry sheets: brick pastry sheets
• Instead of Grated cheese (optional): grated cheddar
• Instead of Fresh lemon (for garnish): extra preserved lemon

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Frying pan (or sauté pan)
• Pot for vermicelli
• Mixing bowl
• Baking sheet or oven dish
• Oven
• Kitchen brush
• Parchment paper
• Wooden spatula
• Kitchen scissors (optional) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the spices and condiments (step 1)
• Sauté the shrimp (step 2)
• Bake the cod (step 6)
• Assemble the pastilla (step 11)
• Final baking of the pastilla (step 13)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use clarified butter (brown butter) for a richer flavor and better heat resistance.
• Add a pinch of saffron to the charmoula for authentic color and aroma.
• If you don't have filo, brick pastry sheets can be used but the result will be less crisp.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap uncooked portions in plastic film and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the charmoula and filling the day before and keep refrigerated.
• Assemble the pastilla without baking, cover with plastic film and refrigerate up to 12 h before final baking.