Tunisian brik is one of the dishes I make most often at home, and my favourite version is with egg and tuna. A thin pastry sheet fried until golden, flaked tuna and an egg with a yolk that stays runny in the middle: simple, quick and really hard to resist.
In Tunisia, brik is everywhere: as a starter, during Ramadan, or as a snack at any time of day. You eat it with your fingers, biting into the crispy corner first before you reach the egg. Folding the sheet without breaking the yolk takes a little practice, but after two tries it becomes fun.
I made this one on 27 July 2026 with just the essentials: brick pastry, tuna and egg. You really do not need more. Here are my quantities and my method so you get the cooking right every time.
The story of that day: 🇫🇷 Phalsbourg - Le Manoir du Soldat and the Theatre Festival
The recipe
My recipeIngredients
- 4 brick pastry sheets (feuilles de brick)
- 4 eggs
- 1 can of tuna in water (140 g drained)
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying (about 300 ml)
Method
- Drain the tuna well and flake it with a fork in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Line a plate with paper towels for the fried briks.
- Pour the oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1.5 cm and heat it over medium-high heat, to around 170 °C. A small piece of pastry should sizzle straight away without burning.
- Lay one pastry sheet flat in a shallow bowl. Spread a quarter of the tuna over one half of the sheet to make a small nest, then gently crack an egg into the middle. Season the egg with salt and pepper.
- Fold the other half of the sheet over to make a half-moon, without pressing on the egg. Slide the brik straight into the hot oil, folded side towards you.
- Fry for 1 minute 30 to 2 minutes, spooning hot oil over the top, then turn it with a spatula and cook for 1 more minute until golden. The white should be set and the yolk still runny.
- Drain on the paper towels and repeat with the remaining sheets, one at a time. Serve right away, hot and crispy.
Tips and variations
- Assemble each brik just before frying it: the pastry softens quickly once the egg is on it.
- For a firmer yolk, cook 1 extra minute on each side.
- A squeeze of lemon juice just before serving goes really well with the tuna.
- Brik does not keep: it loses its crunch as it cools, so eat it straight away.
Recipe shared for guidance only, adapt it to your equipment: times and temperatures may vary. Check for allergens (gluten, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, sesame…) and make sure ingredients are fresh. Raw or undercooked fish, meat and eggs are not recommended for pregnant women, young children, elderly or vulnerable people. Take care with hot oil, flambéing and alcohol. I am not a health or nutrition professional.