Some historians claim that the origin of pastilla goes back to Andalusian cuisine, as it is believed to have been brought to the Maghreb by the Moors. The word pastilla in Spanish means “little pie.” It spread across western Algeria and the Maghreb, but Algeria did not preserve it as Morocco did, where it became widely popular.

Recently, I also read that pastilla originated in Algeria, due to the long period the Ottomans spent in the country. It is historically known that they were the ones who invented dioul pastry, which Algeria mastered in making both sweet and savory dishes, such as samsa, baklava, bourek, brik, and many other variations. According to several books, including The Zaer Tribe: Past and Present, Marshal Lyautey stated that he first saw pastilla in Algeria, where it was served to him at a banquet. However, it is no longer as present in Algeria as it once was, mainly because of the prolonged French colonization, which lasted longer than in Morocco. Many of our traditional dishes were erased and disappeared. Had the colonization lasted as long in Morocco as it did in Algeria, pastilla might have vanished there as well.

In conclusion, pastilla is a luxurious dish with high-quality ingredients and great nutritional value, whether made with chicken, almonds, honey, and eggs, or with fresh seafood. It stands in contrast to the fast food currently dominating our markets, such as pizza, tacos, and other foreign dishes that have infiltrated our rich culinary heritage.

Personally, I would love to see pastilla return to Algerian tables across the country, and I hope to be a means of achieving this and reviving the finest of our traditional dishes.

This post is not meant to sow discord or ignite endless debates over the origins of pastilla. Morocco and Algeria are one; we are all Muslims, and we are all brothers. The purpose of my post is to encourage and motivate the Algerian people to revive and spread this exquisite dish in our cuisine.