Pastilla
Couscous
Tagines
Is an elaborate meat pie traditionally made of pigeons, but chicken is more often used today; pastilla can also use fish as a filling and its truly delicious, in that case is served without sugar on top. It is typical of Morocco and highly regarded as a national dish; variants are also found elsewhere in the Maghreb.
It is a pie which combines sweet and salty flavours; a delicious combination of crisp layers of the crêpe-like warka dough, savory meat slow-cooked in broth and spices and shredded, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar. Pastilla requires lots of time and ingredients, so is amongst the most expensive dishes you ll find, prepare to pay from 70 dh to 150dh depending on the restaurant.
It is a pie which combines sweet and salty flavours; a delicious combination of crisp layers of the crêpe-like warka dough, savory meat slow-cooked in broth and spices and shredded, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon, and sugar. Pastilla requires lots of time and ingredients, so is amongst the most expensive dishes you ll find, prepare to pay from 70 dh to 150dh depending on the restaurant.
CouscousDoes anyone ignore what is it?Couscous is as old as pasta. In fact, many historians argue that couscous pre-dates pasta, with references to couscous dating back as far as the 10th century. Scholars debate whether couscous originated in West Africa or North Africa (Berber), but today, couscous is considered a Moroccan specialty. But really the only thing you have to care of is whether you order it made of chicken, lamb or vegetables.
Tagines Is a type of dish found in the North African cuisines of Morocco, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. Tajines are slow-cooked stew braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. They often combine lamb or chicken with a medley of ingredients or seasonings: olives, quinces, apples, raisins, prunes, datess.
You will find them in every single menu: chicken tagine, beef tagine, and most rare in restaurants lamb tagine and fish tagine and our beloved and strongly recommended kefta tagine (meatballs in a sauvory tomato sauce, topped with an egg).
Harira
Harira is the traditional soup of Morocco. It is usually eaten during dinner in the holy month of Ramadan to break the fasting day. But is truly a meal in itself, and they keep eating it all the time. It is also served to relatives and friends after a special celebration, such as the morning after a wedding night, and its recipe varies then slightly from the harira eaten during Ramadan. It is usually served with dates and other favorite dried fruits like figs or with traditional honey sweets.
Briouates Another favorite, this time a snack or a light tapas-dish. A briouate consists of a triangle or half-moon of flaky filled pastry, but the most elegant look like sringrolls, deep-fried in oil until golden crisp. Moroccan briouates found in the street are made of almond paste, but we really prefer the salty ones, filled with fish specially, but really they can be filled with anything: cheese, spinach, etc. Other favorite fillings are chopped meat or merguez, highly spiced lamb sausages.
Lamb M'choui
This most famous and interesting Moroccan lamb dish traditionally involves rubbing a whole lamb with a paste of butter, peppers and cumin and pit roasting it until crisp and golden, but tender within. It is served at the center of the table so that each guest can tear pieces from the bone with pieces of Moroccan crisp-textured bread. M’choui is served with bowls of ground cumin, coarse salt and red pepper so that everyone can season it to their own liking. You will hardly find it in restaurants, or they may ask you to book ahead, because it takes long time, but if you do, just go for it.
