Moroccan cuisine is rooted in the culture of the ancient Berber ethnicity from the pre-Islamic period; a people who have managed to preserve their language and traditions throughout history.
Berber cuisine primarily relies on cereals, vegetables, and little meat; for desserts, they use almonds, dates, grapes, and honey. It is in this cuisine that we find similarities with the origins of important Moroccan dishes such as couscous or tagines, as well as Mechui, roasted lamb over embers, which is traditionally served during large celebrations.
With the invasion of Morocco by Arabs and the subsequent conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by the same, a gastronomic exchange was established with Mediterranean cuisine. Hence, the fusion of North African cuisine, where the Berbers are located, with Mediterranean and Arab flavors.
In Moroccan cuisine, spices such as saffron, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and mint are essential; they are responsible for giving Moroccan dishes their distinctive touch. Lamb and chicken are indispensable in the exquisite stews, and fruits and vegetables, dates, and nuts are also key ingredients.
In Moroccan cooking, sweet and savory flavors are combined, as in Bastilla, a puff pastry pie layered with alternating fillings of mildly spicy chicken or pigeon meat, interspersed with a almond and egg paste. The top of the pie is dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
