Savory seafood pastilla and sweet apple-cinnamon pastilla

Ingredients

• 3 gousses Garlic (crushed)
• 30 g Fresh coriander (chopped)
• 30 g Fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 c. à soupe Olive oil (for cooking)
• 60 g Butter (30 g for cooking, 30 g for brushing)
• 200 g White fish (cod or pollock) (boneless, salted and peppered)
• 200 g Seafood mix (shrimp, squid, mussels) (thawed)
• 50 g Chinese vermicelli (rehydrated in boiling water)
• 20 g Dried black mushrooms (rehydrated)
• 2 c. à soupe Thai hot sauce (type Sriracha)
• 1 un Egg yolk (for glazing the savory version)
• 1 c. à café Paprika (for glazing)
• 300 g Apples (mixed varieties) (peeled and diced)
• 250 g Pears (mixed varieties) (peeled and diced)
• 1 c. à soupe Lemon juice (to prevent fruit oxidation)
• 0.5 c. à café Four‑spice
• 2 c. à soupe Brown sugar
• 50 g Walnuts (coarsely chopped)
• 8 feuilles Spring‑roll sheets (rice paper) (thawed, two sheets per pastilla)
• 1 c. à soupe Table oil (vegetable oil) (to brush the sheets (sweet version))
• 1 c. à café Powdered sugar (for sweet decoration)
• 0.5 c. à café Ground cinnamon
• some brins Decorative herbs (dried flowers) (for final garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare garlic and herbs

   Crush the 3 garlic cloves with the coriander and parsley, then finely chop everything.

   Time: PT5M

2. Rehydrate vermicelli and dried black mushrooms

   Place the vermicelli and dried black mushrooms in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

   Time: PT10M

3. Cook the white fish

   Heat 1 c. à soupe olive oil and 15 g butter in the pan, sear the fish fillet 2‑3 minutes each side until golden brown.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cook the seafood mix

   In the same pan, add the remaining butter, the seafood mix, the chopped herbs and the spices (see video description). Sauté 3‑4 minutes until the water evaporates.

   Time: PT5M

5. Mix the savory filling ingredients

   In a large bowl, combine the cooked fish, the seafood mix, the vermicelli, the mushrooms, and add 2 c. à soupe hot sauce. Mix well.

   Time: PT2M

6. Prepare the spring‑roll sheets

   Thaw the sheets according to package instructions, place them on a clean cloth to absorb excess moisture.

   Time: PT5M

7. Brush the sheets

   Mix 30 g melted butter with 1 c. à soupe olive oil. Brush each sheet on one side with this mixture.

   Time: PT2M

8. Form the savory pastillas

   Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each sheet, fold the sides then roll tightly. Seal the edges with a little water.

   Time: PT10M

9. Glaze the savory side

   Beat the egg yolk with 1 c. à café paprika, brush each pastilla.

   Time: PT2M

10. Bake

    Place the pastillas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes until well golden.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 180°C

11. Final savory decoration

    During baking, quickly sauté a few fresh mushrooms in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then place on the pastillas out of the oven with dried herbs.

    Time: PT5M

12. Peel and dice apples and pears

    Peel 300 g apples and 250 g pears, cut into small dice.

    Time: PT10M

13. Season the fruit

    In a bowl, mix the fruit dice with 1 c. à soupe lemon juice, 0.5 c. à café four‑spice, 2 c. à soupe brown sugar and 30 g melted butter.

    Time: PT2M

14. Caramelize the sweet filling

    Heat the mixture over medium heat in the pan, let caramelize for 15 minutes stirring regularly until the fruit is tender and lightly golden.

    Time: PT15M

15. Add the nuts

    Stir in the 50 g coarsely chopped walnuts, mix, then let cool completely.

    Time: PT5M

16. Brush the sheets (sweet)

    Mix the remaining 30 g butter with 1 c. à soupe table oil, brush each sheet as in step 7.

    Time: PT2M

17. Form the sweet pastillas

    Place a tablespoon of sweet filling in the centre of each sheet, fold, roll and seal the edges with a little water.

    Time: PT10M

18. Brush with butter (sweet)

    Brush the sweet pastillas with the remaining melted butter.

    Time: PT2M

19. Bake (sweet)

    Bake the sweet pastillas at 180 °C for 30 minutes, as in step 10.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 180°C

20. Sweet decoration

    Dust the hot pastillas with powdered sugar and sprinkle with 0.5 c. à café cinnamon.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

520

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

6 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder
• Instead of Fresh coriander: parsley
• Instead of Fresh parsley: coriander
• Instead of Olive oil: vegetable oil
• Instead of Butter: margarine
• Instead of White fish (cod or pollock): pollock fillet
• Instead of Seafood mix (shrimp, squid, mussels): shrimp only
• Instead of Chinese vermicelli: fine rice noodles
• Instead of Dried black mushrooms: dried shiitake
• Instead of Thai hot sauce (type Sriracha): chili paste
• Instead of Egg yolk: liquid egg yolk
• Instead of Paprika: sweet pepper
• Instead of Apples (mixed varieties): pears
• Instead of Pears (mixed varieties): apples
• Instead of Lemon juice: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Four‑spice: cinnamon + nutmeg
• Instead of Brown sugar: brown sugar
• Instead of Walnuts: almonds
• Instead of Spring‑roll sheets (rice paper): phyllo dough
• Instead of Table oil (vegetable oil): olive oil
• Instead of Powdered sugar: granulated sugar
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: spice blend
• Instead of Decorative herbs (dried flowers): fresh parsley

Equipment Needed

• Skillet (pan)
• Small saucepan
• Mixing bowl / salad bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (baking paper)
• Kitchen brush
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Oven
• Small wooden pick or toothpick

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Properly rehydrate the vermicelli and dried black mushrooms to prevent them staying hard.
• Seal the edges of the pastillas perfectly so they do not split during baking.
• Do not overcook the sweet filling to preserve the fruit texture.
• Monitor the browning in the oven to prevent the pastillas from burning.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh garden herbs for a more intense aroma.
• Choose good quality spring‑roll sheets, slightly thick, to avoid tearing.
• For the sweet version, replace the nuts with crushed pistachios for a brighter colour.
• Lightly brown the seafood mix before adding the hot sauce to develop flavors.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the pastillas in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually in plastic film then place in a freezer bag, keep up to 1 month.

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

Make-Ahead Tips

• Rehydrate vermicelli and mushrooms the day before and keep refrigerated.
• Prepare both fillings (savory and sweet) 2 hours ahead, then cover and refrigerate.
• Assemble the pastillas and place in the refrigerator before baking; they will keep their shape.