Tunisian Brik
Overview
Brik is a thin pastry folded around a filling and fried, and the Tunisian version is defined by the whole egg inside it. The yolk stays runny, and eating one without spilling it is a small skill Tunisians acquire early. It is an Ottoman inheritance, and its relatives survive across the former empire: bourek in Algeria, burek in the Balkans. What makes the Tunisian version specific is that egg. Other fillings are entirely standard, tuna, chicken, chicken liver, beef, turkey, anchovies, capers, cheese, and this recipe uses tuna with gouda and parmesan, which is the most common contemporary combination. Cheese in brik is a fairly recent addition that has become popular. The pastry is malsouka, a very fine partially cooked sheet of Tunisian origin, sold across France and North Africa but hard to find elsewhere. Phyllo is the substitute this recipe uses. Triangles and cigars are the two standard shapes, with triangles conventional for tuna brik. It appears at iftar during Ramadan and on the assiettes anglaises served at celebrations, alongside minina, pickled vegetables and fava beans. It cooks in one to two minutes and is eaten immediately.
AFN Heritage Note
Brik is a Tunisian fried pastry inherited from the Ottoman period, related to Algerian bourek and Balkan burek, and distinguished by its whole egg filling. Its pastry, malsouka, is of Tunisian origin.
Ingredients
Directions
- 1
Put the canned tuna in a large bowl. Add the onion and parsley, season with salt and pepper, and stir.
- 2
Slice the phyllo pastry into 2 squares of around 25cm.
- 3
Add half the tuna mixture to one side of the pastry and fold the other side over it.
- 4
Top with half the gouda, one egg and half the parmesan.
- 5
Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a second brik.
- 6
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 7
Cook each brik until golden and crisp, around 1 to 2 minutes in total.
Africook’s Notes
- Crack the egg in last, directly onto the filling, and fold immediately. It is the hardest part and the reason brik is made one at a time.
- Keep the oil at a moderate heat. The pastry is very thin and the aim is to set the white while leaving the yolk runny, which takes only a minute or two.
- Do not overfill. A brik that is too full splits in the oil and the egg escapes.
- Work quickly once the pastry is out of its packet. Phyllo and malsouka both dry and crack within minutes.
- Eat it immediately and with your hands. A brik held for five minutes has a set yolk, which is not the point of it.
- Malsouka is the traditional pastry and is finer than phyllo. If you find it at a North African grocer it is worth using.
Questions cooks ask
What is malsouka?
Malsouka is a very fine, partially cooked sheet of pastry of Tunisian origin, used for brik. It is thinner and more pliable than phyllo and is widely available in France and North Africa but hard to find elsewhere. Phyllo is the standard substitute and works well, though it is a little more brittle.
Should the egg be runny?
Yes. A runny yolk is the defining feature of Tunisian brik and the reason it is fried for only a minute or two. Eating one without spilling the yolk is a small skill, and it is meant to be eaten immediately with the hands rather than plated and left.
What other fillings are used?
Tuna is the most common, but chicken, chicken liver, beef, turkey, anchovies, capers and cheese all appear in Tunisia. Cheese is a relatively recent addition that has become popular. The egg is the constant; almost everything else varies by household and region.
What shape should it be?
Triangles and cigars are the two standard shapes. Triangles are conventional for tuna brik and are what this recipe makes. The shape affects how easy it is to keep the egg contained, and the triangle is more forgiving, which is part of why it is the usual choice.
Reviews
3 reviews
herh folding that pastry with the raw egg inside is not easy oo! First time I tried it the yolk almost spilled into the hot vegetable oil paa. But once you get the timing right and fry it fast, that crispy crunch with the tuna and melted gouda is just incredible.
Herh, that egg folding will make your heart jump the first time oo! But chale, Gouda? The Tunisians usually stick to harissa, parsley, and capers for authentic Brik, not European cheese paa. Still, once that egg stays intact and the crust gets crispy, the taste is just amazing.
Couldn't find proper malsouka here in Tottenham so I used normal phyllo sheets from Sainsbury's, just doubled them up so the egg yolk wouldn't burst through. Chale the gouda and parmesan with the canned tuna sounds like an odd mix until you take that first bite hot out the pan.