Moroccan · Main Dishes

Pastilla au Lait (Fassi Milk Pastilla)

A Fassi specialty rarely seen outside the city, milk pastilla layers crisp warqa pastry with a delicate custard and shredded chicken, the whole thing gently sweet and creamy rather than sugar-dusted like its famous savoury-sweet cousin. It is a dish that surprises first-time tasters, closer to a savoury trifle than a pie.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 70 min
Serves: 6
Level: Advanced

Ingredients

500 g cooked chicken, shredded (poached or roasted)
700 ml whole milk
3 egg yolks and 60 g sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp orange-blossom water and a strip of lemon zest
8–10 sheets warqa pastry or filo
100 g butter, melted, for brushing and frying
50 g toasted almonds, chopped, and icing sugar, to finish

Method

1

Make the custard

Warm the milk with the lemon zest. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour, then gradually whisk in the warm milk. Return to the pan and cook gently, stirring, until thickened to a custard. Stir in the orange-blossom water and cool slightly.
2

Combine with chicken

Fold the shredded chicken through the warm custard so it is well coated.
3

Fry the pastry rounds

Cut the warqa or filo into rounds, brush with melted butter, and pan-fry or bake at 180°C until crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Cool.
4

Layer

Layer a crisp pastry round, a spoonful of the chicken custard, another round, and repeat, building 4–5 layers, finishing with a pastry round on top.
5

Rest briefly

Let the assembled pastilla sit 10 minutes so the layers settle without turning soggy.
6

Finish

Dust with icing sugar and scatter with chopped toasted almonds.
7

Serve

Serve promptly while the pastry is still crisp, cut into wedges.

Chef's tips

Keep the custard-coated chicken from becoming too wet, or it will soften the crisp pastry layers too quickly.
Fry or bake the pastry rounds until truly crisp and let them cool fully before layering.
Assemble just before serving; this dessert-like pastilla is best enjoyed within an hour of layering.

Frequently asked questions

How is pastilla au lait different from the classic sweet pastilla?

The famous version wraps spiced pigeon or chicken in a single large pastry parcel dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Pastilla au lait is layered rather than wrapped, built with a light milk custard instead of a spiced sauce, and has a gentler, creamier character.

Is this dish sweet or savoury?

It sits between the two — the custard is only lightly sweetened, and the chicken keeps it grounded as a savoury dish, though it is often served as a special centerpiece rather than an everyday main.