Lamb pastillas

What's a pastilla?

Pastilla is a kind of pie. Moroccan, or Moorish in origin (everything Moorish is so moreish! Excuse the pathetic pun), it's meat-filled, filo, brik or werqa pastry covered cigar shape.

It's usually flavoured sweet and salty which means heaven in taste.

That's not what we imagine when thinking of a pie in the UK - I'll leave the Americans alone this time not to create pie confusion.

A delicate, elegant and crisp pastilla is quite different to a stodgy steak and kidney pie. Not, of course, that there’s anything wrong with a steak and kidney, when you’re in need of a bit of stodge.

Cigar - the only pastilla shape?

The pastilla should classically be baked as a round large pie, then sliced into wedges.

Very often though you see recipes for, or are served individual pastillas, rolled and shaped like cigars. It is much easier, I guess. And you get more pastry per serving.

Pastilla filling for a frugal chef

It's an absolutely great way to use leftover roast.

Chicken, beef or pork can be happily eaten cold the following day or made into sandwiches. Lamb – not as much, especially fattier cuts like the shoulder.

So unless you’re very dedicated and want to use the roast meat by embarking on a big project like dumplings or ravioli, pastilla is the way to go.

Lamb is not the only filling

Lamb, chicken, pork, game, duck – anything goes happily into the filo pastry wrapper.

I wouldn’t cook the meat specially for the pastillas though, unless to make them is your heart’s desire and you don’t have any leftover meat. It's the typical 'waste not, want not' dish.

How to make the pastilla lamb filling

It couldn't be easier. Simply shred your meat or chop it up roughly, removing very fatty or gristly bits.

Sweat a little onion, a little garlic, spices and herbs and toast the meat in the mix.

Add some cooked couscous, crumble in some feta cheese and drop in a few sultanas, just to feel decadent.

How to handle filo pastry

It dries out as you look so it always needs to be covered with a tea towel, except for the sheet you're currently working with. And working means brushing with fat, be it melted butter or oil.

I prefer butter personally because it makes the pastry crisper. But if you want to make these pastillas vegan, use oil. Haha! Bad joke.

The filling is lined up at the shorter end of a sheet, and you roll up the filo over it, folding the sides over a third of the way up. Like old fashioned butchers wrapping the mince.

The already rolled pastillas need to be covered with a cloth while waiting for the remaining mates to join them on the tray, and then it's done, ready for the oven.

By no means skip the cinnamon sugar dusting! It makes the pastillas heavenly, instead of merely delicious.

My recipe borrows heavily from Matty, who borrowed from Jamie Oliver. Matty’s website is nicer.

More filo pastry recipes

Another leftover lamb solution: Greek lamb, spinach and feta filo pastry pie. A spanakopita bulked out with shredded roast lamb, this pie can be lunch, dinner, snack or a party dish.

Fondue Savoyarde meets a Greek pie – it must be Ottolenghi. My mushroom and fondue filo pie is based on Yotam’s recipe from NY Times Cooking.

Baked spinach and cheese empanada, with the filling wrapped in filo pastry. A cross between spanakopita and empanada? Maybe, but at least no need to make empanada dough from scratch.

More lamb recipes

Baked yellow courgettes stuffed with minced lamb and tomatoes, topped with grated cheese. That’s a great idea for those large yellow zucchini!

Classic Greek moussaka with potato slices and minced lamb and beef meat sauce. Moussaka layers are potatoes, aubergines, minced lamb and the topping of thick béchamel. It’s a great dish easy to make in large quantities.

Homemade lamb doner kebab from Tom Kerridge is made in the oven, served in a tortilla wrap and devoured in seconds. Who said you can’t make street food at home?