Tunisian Brik Recipes

TUNISIAN BRIK

Steps:

• 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.

TUNISIAN EGG BRIKS

Steps:

• Directions are given per brik.
• Place the phyllo sheet on a work surface. Phyllo is rectangular. Either cut it to make a square, or fold the phyllo so you work with a single layer sheet.
• Using only the top half of the phyllo sheet, spoon 1 tablespoonful of tuna onto the phyllo. Sprinkle 1/4 the amount of parmesan onto the tuna. (If using mashed potato, put 1/4 of the mashed potato onto the tuna and parmesan.) Dot 1 teaspoon of harissa around the mixture. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon or less of parsley. Make sort of an open circle with the mixture.
• Now, crack open an egg, and drop it on this mixture in a way that the mixture won't let the egg white run out easily. The mixture should surround the egg.
• Fold the bottom half of the phyllo sheet over the top half. This will cover the whole mixture. Seal the edges with egg white as you make the fold. If you have excess pastry per brik, just fold the excess in towards the center of the brik; it will resemble an envelope.
• Slip this brik into hot oil. Fry 30 seconds on one side, or until the phyllo is a golden brown color. Turn it, and fry the other side, also 30 seconds, or until the color is golden brown.
• Continue with the other briks.
• Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze into every bite, salad and tomato.

JAMIE OLIVER'S TUNISIAN BRIK (PHYLLO WITH SWEET POTATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them, in their skins, in the preheated oven until cooked and soft. Allow to cool (leaving the oven on), then peel and mash them.
• Bash up 1 teaspoon of the coriander seeds and the chillies in a pestle and mortar. Stir with the cinnamon into the mashed sweet potato and season well. Fold the spring onions and beaten egg into the mashed potato.
• Gently melt the butter in a pan. Bash up the remaining coriander seeds. Brush a sheet of filo with some melted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of ground cinnamon and a little of the ground coriander. Cover with the second sheet, and brush and sprinkle as before. Repeat for the third sheet. With a sharp knife, cut the stacked filo sheets into two 15cm squares.
• Working quickly to prevent the pastry from drying, do the same with the remaining filo sheets. You should now have four squares of filo. Place a generous tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture in the centre of each square and spread out slightly. Brush the edges of each square with water and fold in half, corner to corner, to make a triangle. Press down at the edges to seal. Brush both sides of each triangle with the rest of the melted butter, place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven until light brown - this will take about 10 minutes.
• Mix the red onion with the watercress, mint and parsley. Mix the yoghurt with the lemon juice, a lug of olive oil and the cumin. Dress the salad with the yoghurt dressing and serve with the hot filo briks and the lemon halves.

TUNISIAN BRIK-STYLE EGGS

Steps:

• To prepare harissa, place caraway and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Place seed mixture, ancho chile pepper, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a blender; process until smooth.
• To prepare brik, place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain.
• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add potatoes, turmeric, salt, and ground red pepper (if desired); sauté 6 minutes or until edges are crisp. Add parsley and green onions; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
• Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining phyllo to prevent drying); coat phyllo with cooking spray. Fold sheet in half like a book. Coat bottom third of phyllo with cooking spray (narrow end should be facing you). Fold bottom third up. Arrange 1/4 of the potatoes in a circle in center of the bottom (folded) third of the phyllo, creating a nest for the egg. Crack 1 egg into center of potatoes. Sprinkle 1/4 of feta over egg. Sprinkle with black pepper. Fold top third of phyllo over egg, potatoes, and cheese, folding in sides to form a packet.
• Place packet on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining phyllo, potatoes, eggs, cheese, and black pepper.
• Combine egg white and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Brush phyllo packets with egg white mixture. Bake at 450° for 9 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
• Spoon harissa evenly over brik, and sprinkle with cilantro.

TUNISIAN BRIK

Steps:

• Place potato in salted water to cover, bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain, and mash with olive oil.
• Heat 2 cups of grapeseed or canola oil in deep 10-inch skillet to 350 degrees.
• Place spring-roll wrapper on saucer. Place 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes in middle, flattening the center to make a well. Dab it with 1/4 teaspoon harissa if desired. Sprinkle with some capers and parsley.
• Break an egg into the center. Taking care so that none of the egg seeps out, fold over one point of the spring-roll wrapper to meet the opposite point, to make a triangle.
• Gently slip the filled brik off the saucer and into the hot oil. Cook a minute or so, until golden on the underside, turn over and cook about another minute. Remove from the oil with a spatula, and drain briefly on absorbent paper. Prepare the remaining briks, fry them and serve while still hot, with lemon wedges.

TUNISIAN BRIK (ESSENTIAL MEDITERRANEAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Metl the butter in a small frying pan and cool the onion over low heat until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the onion, tuna, capers, parsley and parmesan in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cut the filo pastry sheets in half widthways. Layer four of the half-sheets together, brushing each with melted butter. Keep the remaining pastry covered with a tamp towel.
• Spoon half the tuna mixture onto one end of the buttered pastry, leaving a border. Made a well in the center of the mixture and carefully break an egg into the well, being careful not to break it. Season with salt and pepper.
• Layer two more sheets of the filo together, brushing with melted butter, and place on top of the tuna and egg. Fold in the pastry sides, then roll into a firm parcel, keeping the egg intact.
• Place on a lightly greased baking tray and brush with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining pastry, filling and egg.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• NOTE: the yolk is still soft after 15 minutes. If you like your eggs firmer, bake for a little longer.