Peta Unplugged in Marrakech

Episode 1 — Milk Pastilla

Serves 4 people
You can make everything in advance but can’t put it together till the last minute, or the pastilla will go soggy.

For the milk sauce or kneffa:

• 3 cups of milk
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp cornflower
• 1 tbsp rose or orange flower water
• 1/2 a vanilla pod slit open or 1/4 tsp real vanilla extract

Take half a cup of the milk, add the cornflower and stir to a paste.

Put the milk, sugar, salt and vanilla into a pot and bring to a simmer. Pour the cornflower mixture in, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and simmer till thick - about 3 mins. Remove from the heat and stir in the blossom water. Transfer to a bowl and rub butter over the surface - this prevents a skin forming.

For the almonds:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 100g blanched almonds
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Fry the almonds in the butter till golden - about 5 mins. Chop coarsely and toss in a bowl with the sugar and cinnamon.

For the pastry:

• 6 sheets of warka or spring roll pastry
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Kitchen paper

Heat the oil in a large frypan and quickly fry the pastry sheets one by one till they go crispy. Place on kitchen paper.

To put the pastilla together:

On a serving dish, place a pastry sheet, spread with some milk sauce and sprinkle with almond mixture. Repeat this till everything is used up. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Cut in four with a sharp knife - it will break a bit but is utterly light and delicious.