Bastilla

A flaky warqa pastry pie filled with spiced pigeon or chicken, toasted almonds, eggs, and cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients

• 500g ground beef
• 400g vermicelli noodles
• 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp smen (preserved butter)
• a generous handful of red bell peppers
• a handful of fresh mint, chopped
• a generous spoonful of dried apricots
• 400ml water

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the merguez sausage dry, season generously with salt, pepper, and ground turmeric, and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.

2. 2

   Heat smen (preserved butter) in a wide pan or heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the merguez sausage until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.

3. 3

   In the same pan, gently cook the sliced shallots and minced garlic over medium heat until softened and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir in the ground ginger and butternut squash, cooking for a few more minutes so the spices bloom and coat the vegetables.

5. 5

   Return the merguez sausage to the pan, pour in the vegetable stock, and bring everything to a gentle simmer.

6. 6

   Cover and cook over low heat until the merguez sausage is tender and cooked through, roughly 45 mins.

7. 7

   Stir in the preserved lemon, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

8. 8

   Scatter over the parsley and serve hot alongside crusty bread.

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