Name: Brik a l'Oeuf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisia, North Africa
Ingredients: 4 sheets malsouka pastry; 4 whole eggs; 1 can tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked; 1 tbsp capers, chopped; ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 small onion, finely diced and sauteed; 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Brik a l'Oeuf

Tunisian brik à l'oeuf, a crisp malsouka pastry filled with egg, tuna, capers, parsley, onion, lemon, and harissa.

Country

Tunisia

Region

North Africa

Time

25 min

Serves

Level

medium

What to know before you cook

Use this overview to check the occasion, serving ideas, regional context, and cooking commitment before you begin.

When to cook it

Best for Ramadan iftar, appetiser. Plan on a medium cook and about 25 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Lemon wedges, harissa, salad mechouia, or olives

Follow the collection

Brik a l'Oeuf appears in 2 AfroKitchen collections. Start with Quick & Easy if you want more dishes in the same mood. Quick & Easy

Regional lane

Tunisia national table. A structured Tunisia dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
Cooking on heat that is too high once the dish should be steaming or simmering.

How you know it is ready

The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
The final texture should match the dish style before you plate it.

Make the filling base

Mix together the flaked tuna, sauteed onion, capers, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Assemble the brik

Lay a sheet of malsouka pastry on a flat surface. Spoon a quarter of the tuna mixture onto one half. Make a small well in the centre and crack a whole egg into it. Season the egg with salt and pepper.

Kitchen noteWork quickly — the pastry dries out fast.

Fold and seal

Carefully fold the pastry over to form a half-moon shape, pressing the edges to seal. Be gentle so the egg yolk stays intact.

Kitchen noteA dab of egg white along the edges helps seal the pastry.

Fry until golden

Heat oil in a deep skillet to 180C (355F). Carefully slide the brik into the hot oil and fry for about 1-2 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy.

Kitchen noteThe egg should remain runny inside — do not overcook.

Fry brik 02:00

Drain and serve

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and harissa.

Kitchen noteEat immediately — brik waits for no one.

Brik a l'Oeuf

What to know before you cook

Build the table around Brik a l'Oeuf

Step-by-step method

Brik a l'Oeuf

What to know before you cook

Build the table around Brik a l'Oeuf

Step-by-step method

Cook around Brik a l'Oeuf