Tunisian Brik with Egg and Tuna

Name: Tunisian Brik with Egg and Tuna
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 4 sheets (80 g) brik (malsouka) pastry sheets, kept covered with a slightly damp towel; 5 oz (140 g) canned tuna in olive oil, very well drained and flaked with a fork; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped; 1½ tbsp (15 g) capers, drained and roughly chopped; 2 whole (30 g) green onions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp (5 g) harissa paste; fine salt, to taste, a small pinch (capers and tuna are salty); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cracked into 4 separate small cups, yolks unbroken; 1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil for frying (sunflower or vegetable); 1 whole (100 g) lemon, cut into 4 wedges; 2 tbsp (30 g) harissa paste, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, golden pastry triangles filled with a savory tuna, caper and parsley mixture and a whole egg that cooks to a jammy yolk inside. Shallow-fried in minutes and served hot with lemon and harissa.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 3 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 4 briks (1 per person as a starter; 2 per person for a light meal)

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Ingredients

4 servings

4 sheets (80 g) brik (malsouka) pastry sheets, kept covered with a slightly damp towel
For the filling
5 oz (140 g) canned tuna in olive oil, very well drained and flaked with a fork
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped
1½ tbsp (15 g) capers, drained and roughly chopped
2 whole (30 g) green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp (5 g) harissa paste
fine salt, to taste, a small pinch (capers and tuna are salty)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cracked into 4 separate small cups, yolks unbroken
1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil for frying (sunflower or vegetable)
To serve
1 whole (100 g) lemon, cut into 4 wedges
2 tbsp (30 g) harissa paste, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large non-stick or heavy skillet, 10–12 inch (25–30 cm)
Small bowl for the filling
Fork
Wide spatula or fish slice
Paper towels or wire rack
Instant-read thermometer (optional, for oil temperature)

Steps

Before you start

Brik pastry (malsouka) sheets are round, paper-thin and dry out fast. Keep them covered with a barely damp towel until needed. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Drain the tuna very well; excess oil or moisture will make the pastry soggy and tear.
Fry one brik at a time and serve right away. The egg yolk is meant to stay soft and the shell crisp.
Use fresh, small-to-medium eggs; extra-large eggs can overflow the pastry.

1
Mix the filling
- In a small bowl, combine the flaked tuna, parsley, capers, green onions and 1 tsp harissa.
- Season with a small pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Mix gently with a fork until evenly combined and crumbly, not pasty.
- Taste a little and adjust.
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Ready when: Filling looks evenly speckled with green and red, with no wet pools of oil.
Tip: Press the tuna in a sieve first if it still looks oily.
2
Set up your station
- Crack each egg into its own small cup or ramekin, keeping the yolk intact.
- Divide the filling into 4 equal portions (about 3 tbsp each).
- Place a plate lined with paper towels near the stove.
- Pour the oil into the skillet; it should be about ½ inch (1 cm) deep.
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Ready when: Four eggs in cups, filling portioned, oil in the pan.
Tip: Having every egg pre-cracked means you can fill and fold quickly before the pastry dries out.
3
Heat the oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until it reaches about 350°F (175°C).
- Test by dipping a corner of a spare pastry scrap: it should sizzle immediately and turn light gold in about 10 seconds.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and a pastry scrap sizzles right away.
Tip: If the oil smokes, lower the heat; if it's too cool, the brik will soak up oil and turn greasy.
4
Fill the first brik
- Lay one pastry sheet flat on a clean work surface (or a plate).
- Spread one portion of the filling in a ring slightly off-center, over the lower half, leaving a small well in the middle and a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border from the edge.
- Slide one egg into the well, so the yolk sits in the center of the filling.
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Ready when: Egg sits in a nest of filling with the yolk intact.
Tip: Building a raised ring of filling keeps the white from running out the sides.
5
Fold into a half-moon
- Quickly fold the empty top half of the pastry over the egg to form a half-moon (or triangle).
- Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal; the pastry will cling to itself.
- Do not wait; immediately lift with a wide spatula.
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Ready when: Edges are folded flat with no gaps.
Tip: If a small tear appears, patch it with a scrap of pastry; a damp finger helps it stick.
6
Fry the first side
- Carefully slide the brik into the hot oil, lowering it away from you.
- Immediately spoon hot oil over the top edge of the brik for the first 30 seconds to help the egg set.
- Fry for about 1 minute, until the underside is golden and blistered.
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Ready when: Underside is deep golden and the pastry puffs slightly.
Tip: Don't pierce the pastry with a fork; use a spatula only.
7
Flip and finish
- Gently flip with the spatula and a second utensil to support it.
- Fry for about 1 more minute, until the second side is golden and crisp.
- The egg white should be set and the yolk still soft; for a firmer yolk, fry 30 seconds longer.
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Ready when: Both sides are evenly golden brown and crisp; the brik feels light and crackly.
Tip: Total frying time is about 2 minutes per brik.
8
Drain and serve
- Lift the brik out, tilting it to let oil run off, and set on the paper towels for 15 seconds.
- Serve immediately with a lemon wedge and extra harissa if you like.
- Repeat steps 4 to 7 with the remaining sheets, filling and eggs, adjusting heat as needed between batches.
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Ready when: Brik is crisp, not greasy, and the yolk is soft when cut.
Tip: Squeeze lemon over the brik and add extra harissa on the side. Hold the brik with both hands and bite from the corner; the yolk will run, so lean over the plate.

Good to know

Tips

Work fast: brik pastry becomes brittle in minutes, so keep it covered until filling.
Keep the filling dry and well drained to avoid soggy, torn pastry.
Fry one at a time in a large skillet so the oil stays hot and you can control the egg.
Cutting into the brik at the table releases the runny yolk; serve with extra lemon to cut the richness.

Make ahead

The filling can be mixed up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Assemble and fry briks only at serving time.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Leftover briks keep at room temperature up to 1 hour; refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day, though the pastry will soften. Reheat on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 6 minutes to re-crisp. Not suitable for freezing once filled; unfilled brik sheets freeze well.

Substitutions

brik (malsouka) pastry sheets → Spring roll wrappers or 2 layers of phyllo sheets. Use two layers of thin wrappers for strength; the texture is slightly less blistered but still crisp.
capers → Chopped green olives. Gives a similar briny punch; use the same weight.
harissa paste → Pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes mixed with ½ tsp tomato paste. Gives similar heat and color.
canned tuna in olive oil → Canned salmon or mashed boiled potato with extra parsley. Drain well; potato makes a vegetarian version.