Recipes curated especially for Destination readers by very special local chefs.

Raneen’s love for teaching, cooking, and photography made food blogging appealing enough for her to quit her 9-to-5 in investments and asset management. Never regretting her decision, she encourages everyone who has a dream to go grab it by the horns. She has been blogging for three years now, and has managed to connect well with a wide audience, with her meticulous attention to detail, diligent attempts to perfect intricate cooking techniques, and the tips, tricks, and secrets that she shares. She admires Italian cuisine because “a few quality ingredients can make up for an incredible dish,” and French cuisine because “the elaborateness of techniques is brilliant and challenging.” Coming up with constant new content and bringing something new to the table on each and every occasion has been the most challenging thing for her to date.

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Recipe Name: Mini Bastilah

This Ramadan, she serves up Mini Bastilah, a traditional Moroccan classic with a twist. It’s a savory-sweet dish where chicken filling is beautifully wrapped in crispy filo pastry. The aromatic, savory, and soft interior balances well with the sweet crisp filo shell.

Yield: Serves 4
Total Preparation Time: 90   minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken mixture:

2     chicken breasts
2     tablespoons of olive oil
1     chopped onion
1     tablespoon of chopped coriander
1     tablespoon of chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon of ginger, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and cinnamon
Sprinkle of saffron
1     cup water

Almond mixture:

1/2 cup of roasted ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
2     tablespoons of icing sugar
1     teaspoon rose water
Filo dough
50g melted butter
1     egg

Directions:

– Place all chicken mixture ingredients into a pot on a stove (except for the water initially), stir for 10 minutes, then pour in the water and let it cook covered for 30 minutes.

– Remove chicken breasts from the stock and stir until most of the liquid evaporates.

– Add the egg to the stock and stir until well combined. Shred the chicken separately.

– In a bowl, mix the almond ingredients.

– Cut the filo pastry in half and place two layers in a small bowl, brushing each with melted butter.

– Fill filo sheets with about 1 tablespoon of the egg mixture, shredded chicken, and ground almonds each.

– Fold the filo pastry from all sides into a round bun, and move it onto a baking tray. Brush the outside with more butter, then bake for 20 minutes at 180°C. Garnish with icing sugar, cinnamon, and parsley, then serve.