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Tunisian·North African

Brik (Tunisian Fried Parcel with Tuna & Egg)

Crisp fried pastry parcels filled with a lemony tuna-herb mixture and a whole egg — a classic Tunisian street snack that's salty, bright and satisfying. Make several at once for guests and fry to order so the yolk stays soft.

Brik, servedAI image

35 min

start to finish

20 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

4

servings

4 servings
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Ingredients

For the filling

Contains gluten, egg, fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

360 kcal18g protein20g carbs22g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

  1. Make the tuna-herb filling: in a bowl flake the drained tuna with a fork, stir in chopped parsley, capers (if using), lemon juice, harissa (if using), salt and pepper until combined.

  2. Separate and portion the eggs: crack 8 eggs each into small individual bowls (one egg per brik). Keep them nearby so you can add them during assembly.

  3. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and set aside to use as glue for sealing the pastry edges.

  4. Prepare the pastry sheets: if using phyllo, work with 1 sheet per brik or stack 2 sheets brushed lightly with oil; cover unused sheets with a damp towel so they don't dry out.

  5. Heat the oil: pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 3–4 mm (1/8–1/4 in) and heat over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking.

  6. Assemble the briks: lay one malsouka/phyllo sheet on a work surface, brush the outer rim with the beaten egg, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the tuna mixture near the center leaving room for the egg, make a shallow well and carefully slide one whole egg from its bowl onto the tuna, then fold the sheet into a neat parcel (half-moon or triangle) sealing the edges with the beaten egg. Repeat for the remaining sheets.

  7. Fry the briks in batches: slip 2–3 briks into the hot oil seam-side down and fry until deep golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes per side; turn once with tongs or a spatula for even color. Maintain medium-high heat so they crisp quickly and the yolk stays soft.

  8. Drain and rest: transfer fried briks to paper towels to drain briefly; rest 1–2 minutes so they set but the yolk remains runny.

  9. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and extra harissa on the side.

Worth knowing

  • Assemble only as many briks as you can fry at once — the pastry is best fried immediately after assembling so the egg doesn't leak.
  • If you can’t find malsouka (warka), use large phyllo sheets; work quickly and keep sheets covered so they don’t dry out. Brush with a little oil instead of butter.
  • To fold neatly: if your sheet is round, fold it in half over the filling, then tuck/roll into a triangle or half-moon; a tight seal prevents leaks.
  • Monitor oil temperature — if it’s too cool the pastry will absorb oil and become greasy; too hot and the outside will burn before the egg inside cooks.
  • Make the tuna mixture up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate; add the eggs and assemble/fry just before serving.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

PescatarianQuick

More Tunisian cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Tunisian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be pescatarian as listed.