Duck Pastilla Recipe

Prepare and brown duck

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat duck legs dry and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat ovenproof Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Place duck legs skin-side down and brown until skin is deep golden and fat renders, about 6–8 minutes. Turn and brown briefly on the other side, 2 minutes. Remove duck legs and set aside.

Sauté aromatics and spices

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pot. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add ground cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander and saffron; cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Simmer the duck

Return duck legs to the pot. Add orange zest, orange juice, stock, honey, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until meat is very tender and pulls from the bone, about 1.5–2 hours.

Shred and reduce

Remove duck legs from braising liquid. When cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred the meat finely with forks. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan, discard solids, and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup and syrupy (5–10 minutes). Stir the reduced liquid into the shredded duck along with chopped cilantro/parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

While duck braises, pulse blanched almonds with granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a food processor until it forms a coarse, slightly sticky meal (not a paste) — about 8–12 quick pulses. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, orange blossom water if using, and 1/8 tsp salt. Set aside.

Prepare phyllo and workspace

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Have a clean work surface and a pastry brush ready. Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel while working to prevent drying.

Assemble pastilla

Brush a 9-inch round tart pan or an ovenproof skillet lightly with melted butter. Layer 4 phyllo sheets in the pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next and allowing edges to hang over. Spread half of the almond-sugar mixture in an even layer over the phyllo, leaving a 1/2-inch margin. Mound the shredded duck over the almond layer in an even layer, then spoon the remaining almond mixture on top of the duck (this creates the sweet-savory contrast). Fold the overhanging phyllo edges up and over the filling to fully enclose it; if needed, use remaining 4 phyllo sheets to cover the top, brushing each with butter and sealing the edges to create a neat round package.

Egg wash and bake

Brush the top and sides generously with the beaten egg. Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven until phyllo is deep golden and crisp, about 30–35 minutes (rotate halfway for even color). If top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Finish and serve

Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Mix powdered sugar with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and sift or sprinkle over the top. Optionally scatter toasted sesame seeds. Slice into wedges and serve warm. Leftovers keep refrigerated 2–3 days; re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes before serving.