Seafood Pastilla Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat seafood dry with paper towels. If using large shrimp or scallops, cut into bite-sized pieces so all pieces are roughly uniform (about 1-inch). Season lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 5–6 minutes.

Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Stir in ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric and cook for 20–30 seconds to bloom the spices.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine (or stock), scraping any browned bits from the pan. Allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low so the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the prepared seafood to the skillet and gently fold into the sauce. Cook until the seafood is just opaque and cooked through: about 2–3 minutes for shrimp and scallops and 3–4 minutes for white fish, depending on thickness. Do not overcook — the seafood will finish cooking briefly in the oven.

Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley and dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt (about 3/4 teaspoon more if needed) and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Remove filling from heat and let cool to near room temperature (10–15 minutes). If filling is too wet, simmer gently 1–2 minutes to reduce; if too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon cream or stock.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare phyllo: keep phyllo covered with a lightly damp kitchen towel while working to prevent drying. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and reserve for brushing; also have the 3 tablespoons melted butter ready for layering (total melted butter for brushing should equal 4 tbs specified).

On a clean work surface, place one phyllo sheet lengthwise. Lightly brush the entire sheet with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top at a slight offset and brush again. Repeat until you have layered 4 sheets (for a single large pastilla you may use 6–8 sheets—this recipe uses 8 sheets total to create two medium parcels; for two parcels, mix and divide accordingly).

Spoon approximately half of the cooled seafood filling into the center of the stacked phyllo, shaping into a loose oval mound about 4–5 inches long and 2–3 inches high. Leave at least a 1–2 inch border around the filling.

Fold the short ends of the phyllo over the filling, then fold the long sides up and over to enclose the filling in a neat parcel. Tuck edges under to form a sealed package. Brush the outside of the parcel generously with melted butter. Repeat layering and filling to make a second parcel with the remaining sheets and filling (or make one large parcel with all sheets and filling).

Place the parcels seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon cold water and brush the tops and sides with egg wash for a shiny, golden finish.

Bake in the preheated oven until deep golden and crisp, 18–22 minutes for medium parcels, or 25–30 minutes for one large pastilla. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color. If edges brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and a very light dusting of powdered sugar for a sweet-savory contrast (optional).

While the pastilla bakes, whisk together plain yogurt or labneh with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, chopped dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust acidity or salt. Serve a spoonful alongside each pastilla slice.