Tunisian Brik à l'Oeuf

About This Recipe

Brik is one of the great pleasures of Tunisian cuisine — a thin pastry (malsouka) wrapped around a whole raw egg with tuna, onion, capers, parsley, and harissa, then deep-fried until the pastry is shatteringly crispy while the egg inside remains perfectly runny. The eating technique is an art: bite carefully to avoid spilling the yolk, or let it cascade gloriously. Either way, it's magnificent.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 sheetsmalsouka (brik pastry) or spring roll wrappers
• 4 largeeggs
• 200 gcanned tuna, drained
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 2 tbspcapers, chopped
• 1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tspharissa
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 2 cupsvegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   Combine tuna, onion, capers, parsley, harissa, and salt. Mix well.

2. 2

   Assemble the brik

   Place a malsouka sheet flat. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in the center. Make a well in the filling and crack a raw egg into it.

3. 3

   Fold

   Quickly fold the pastry into a half-moon or triangle shape, enclosing the egg. Press edges to seal — work fast before the egg sets.

4. 4

   Fry

   Heat oil to 180°C (350°F). Carefully lower the brik into the oil. Fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

5. 5

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels for 30 seconds. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. The yolk should be runny.

Variations

• •

  Fill with potato and egg (no tuna) for a vegetarian version

• •

  Add merguez sausage to the filling

• •

  Use phyllo dough in multiple layers for extra crunch

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Must be eaten immediately — brik doesn't store well once fried.

Frequently Asked Questions