About This Dish
A Fassi variation of milk pastilla that uses a rich almond milk custard instead of regular dairy custard between the crispy pastry layers. The almond milk is thickened with cornstarch and perfumed with orange blossom water and mastic gum, creating a luxuriously smooth, nutty cream. This version is considered more refined than the standard milk pastilla and is the dessert of choice at Fassi celebrations and upscale restaurants. The almond flavor harmonizes perfectly with the cinnamon and powdered sugar decoration.
Ingredients
- 8 Warqa or phyllo sheets
- 200 g Blanched almonds
- 500 ml Milk
- 120 g Sugar
- 60 g Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Orange blossom water
- 1/4 tsp Mastic gum, ground
- 80 g Butter, melted
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- for dusting Powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1
Blend almonds with milk until smooth. Strain for almond milk.
- 2
Heat almond milk with sugar and cornstarch, stirring until thick custard forms.
- 3
Add orange blossom water and mastic. Cool slightly.
- 4
Fry or bake phyllo sheets with butter until crispy.
- 5
Layer: crispy pastry, almond custard, pastry, custard. End with pastry.
- 6
Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Tips & Tricks
- Mastic gum gives the distinctive Fassi aromatic note.
- The custard must be thick enough to hold between layers.
- Serve within a few hours for the best texture contrast.