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A hand-me-down from Ottoman times, the Brik in Tunisia is a thin pastry wrapped around egg filling and fried.
This dish has survived in other parts of the former Ottoman Empire in the form of bourek (in Algeria) and burek (in the Balkans), though the egg version is the most specifically Tunisian variety.
Other potential fillings in Tunisia include tuna, chicken, anchovies, capers, and cheese.
This is a great breakfast, though it can be eaten at any time of day. It’s also a great Tunisian street food if you happen to be traveling in the country.
What is Brik?
These tuna briks are an iconic recipe of traditional Tunisian cuisine. The other name is malsouka. Malsouka is of Tunisian origin.
It is a very fine sheet of dough that is partially cooked. It is very easy to get in France but they are not easy to find outside of Europe and North Africa.
There are dozens of briks recipes, some of them often seen on the tables of iftar, the first meal after sunset during the month of Ramadan.
Briks Recipe
The most famous versions of this recipe are prepared with beef, turkey, chicken, chicken liver, as well as tuna.
The two most common shapes are the triangles and the cigars. I chose the triangle shape for mine as this is the one used most often for the tuna briks.
They often appear in the “assiettes anglaises” (dish with various snacks) during celebrations. These assiettes anglaises included minina (omelet), pickled vegetables, fava beans, and other dishes served as appetizers during these festivities.
The addition of cheese in the recipe is fairly contemporary and has gained in popularity in recent years.
Be sure to recreate this incredible delicacy. Bon appétit!
Tunisian Brik
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces of canned tuna
- 1 onion, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- salt
- pepper
- 2 phyllo sheets
- 2.5 ounces of gouda
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup parmesan, shredded
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Add the canned tuna in a large bowl. Add onion, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Stir.
- Slice the phyllo pastry in 2 squares, around 10 inches (25 cm) long.
- Add half of the mixture on one side of the pastry and fold it using the other side.
- Top with half of the Gouda, one egg, and half of the parmesan.
- Do the same with the rest of your ingredients, in order to make one more brik.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook each brik until golden and crispy, around 1-2 minutes total time.
