Today it is commonly eaten at special events such as birthdays, weddings, and parties. The dish contains around 220 calories. It is high in carbohydrates and protein.
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Pastilla (or Bastilla) is a savoury-sweet Moroccan meat pie made by filling a thin flaky pastry shell (called warqa) with your choice of filling and almonds. The types of pastilla range from fish pastilla to ‘pastilla au pigeon’ (pigeon pastilla). The term ‘pastilla’ derives from the Spanish word meaning ‘pastry’. It is often mistaken for a dessert as it is dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
It is believed that when the Moors were driven out of Spain in 1492, they took refuge in Morocco, bringing their culture and food with them – including pastilla. It is also believed that pastilla also has Sephardic Jewish origins. After the expulsion of Jews from Spain by Isabelle I, there was a great wave of emigration of Jewish people to North Africa who brought their know-how and traditions with them.