These individual Moroccan pies are made with the paper-thin pancake-type pastry called ouarka (page 125), but fillo can be used. They are deliciously spicy and herby, with masses of parsley and cilantro. Serve them as a first or as a main course.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6

　　1 1/4 pounds firm white fish, such as cod or haddock

　　Salt

　　5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　1/2–1 teaspoon cumin

　　1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

　　Good pinch of ground chili pepper

　　2 cloves garlic, crushed

　　1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, or more

　　1 cup chopped cilantro, or more

　　8 ounces cooked, peeled large shrimp

　　6 sheets fillo pastry

　　About 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1 egg yolk

　　

Step 1

Poach the fish in salted water very briefly, until it just begins to flake, then drain. Remove the skin and flake it into pieces.

　　

Step 2

In a bowl, mix the olive oil and lemon juice with the cumin, paprika, and ground chili pepper, the garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Put in the fish and shrimp and turn to cover all the pieces with this marinade.

　　

Step 3

Open out the sheets of fillo when you are ready to make the pies and be prepared to work fast. Leave the sheets in a pile and brush the top one with vegetable oil. Put a sixth of the filling mixture in a flat mound on one side of the sheet, about 3 1/2 inches from the edge, in the center. Let it spread over a surface of about 3 1/2 inches.

　　

Step 4

Wrap the filling up into a flat square parcel: Fold the nearest edge of the sheet over the filling, then very carefully lift the part of the sheet with the filling and turn over. Continue to turn the parcel over, folding the 2 side ends up at different turns so that the filling ends up covered with several layers of pastry. (See drawings on page 121.)

　　

Step 5

Continue with the remaining sheets and filling, and arrange the parcels on a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and brown.

　　

Step 6

Serve hot.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf