Paper-thin malsouqa (brick) pastry folded around a whole raw egg, oil-packed tuna, capers, parsley, and a smear of harissa, then deep-fried 60-90 seconds until the pastry shatters and the yolk inside is still runny. The Tunisian street-food signature; iftar-table opener during Ramadan.
Brik descended from Ottoman-Turkish börek but became distinctly Tunisian — the brick pastry (malsouqa) is thinner than Greek filo, fried not baked, and crucially, holds the runny egg yolk as the signature element. Tunis's old-city medina is the spiritual home; street vendors fold and fry them to order. The challenge of eating brik without spilling the egg yolk down your shirt is a Tunisian rite of passage.
Pastry shatters audibly between teeth, releasing the warm tuna-caper-parsley filling and the still-liquid yolk that floods the bite with golden richness. Harissa pings hot in the background; lemon squeezed at the table cuts everything bright. Eating it neat is impossible — runny yolk will escape no matter what; that's the joy.
Brick pastry is thinner than filo and contains less fat, so it crisps in 60-90 seconds at 175°C — much faster than European pastries. The egg yolk inside is preserved by the brief frying window: the white sets, but the yolk's interior never reaches setting temperature (~70°C). Sealing the pastry edges with a wet finger creates a steam-tight pocket that prevents oil seepage.
Variations
Cheese-and-shrimp brik replaces tuna with shrimp and a slice of melting cheese. Vegetarian brik uses spinach and white cheese. Meat brik uses spiced ground beef. Bric à la pomme de terre uses mashed potato as the base — Tunis-Sfax favorite. Modern restaurant versions serve smaller brik as canapé-style appetizers.
On the Palate
Where Brik à l'Œuf sits in the Tunisian flavor cloud
Nail the frying window: 60-90 seconds total so the white sets but the yolk stays liquid — the runny yolk is the whole point of a brik.
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 25 min active + 5 min waiting
- 15 min
Filling base: mix 1 small can (80g) drained oil-packed tuna + 2 tbsp finely chopped onion + 2 tbsp chopped parsley + 1 tbsp drained capers + 1 tsp harissa paste + ½ tsp ground black pepper + ¼ tsp salt. Set aside.
- 24 min
Heat 5 cm sunflower oil in a wide heavy skillet or pot to 175°C.
- 32 min
Lay one sheet of brick pastry (malsouqa, ~25cm round) flat on a work surface. Spread 2 tbsp tuna filling in center; create a small well.
- 41 min
Crack 1 raw egg directly into the well — keep yolk intact. Sprinkle a few more capers and parsley over.
- 52 min
Quickly fold pastry: bring two opposite edges together over the egg, then fold remaining edges in to form a sealed half-moon or triangle. Press edges firmly with a wet finger to seal.
Watch outThe moment the pastry is folded and sealed, get it into the oil — don't let it sit or the egg white weeps and softens the pastry.
- 62 min
Slide brik immediately into hot oil, sealed-side-down. Fry 30 seconds; flip with a slotted spatula. Fry 30-40 seconds more until pastry is deep golden and crisp.
Watch outFlip once the underside is deep gold, about 30 seconds — the whole fry is under a minute and a half, so watch the color not the clock.
- 71 min
Lift onto paper towel briefly. Serve hot, immediately, with lemon wedges and additional harissa on the side. Diner pierces yolk on first bite.
- 813 min
Repeat for remaining 3 portions. Each brik is one serving.
