Tunisian potato brik is one of the most popular starters in Tunisian cooking. A well seasoned mash with parsley, onion and capers, wrapped in a thin brick pastry sheet and fried until golden and crispy.
I tasted it on 11 June 2026 at Royal Djerba in Phalsbourg, alongside a chicken chorba soup. I loved the contrast between the crackling pastry and the soft filling straight away, and I wanted to make it at home.
The recipe I share here is the traditional version as it is made in Tunisian homes, not the restaurant’s own recipe. It is very cheap to make, can be partly prepared ahead and everyone loves it, kids included. Plan on two briks per person as a starter.
The recipe
Classic recipeThe traditional recipe for the dish, not the one from the restaurant where I tasted it.
Ingredients
Filling
- 600 g floury potatoes
- 1 medium onion (100 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley (15 g)
- 1 tbsp drained capers
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt and black pepper
Assembly and frying
- 8 brick pastry sheets
- 1 egg yolk to seal
- Oil for frying (about 400 ml)
- 1 lemon to serve
Method
- Peel the potatoes, cut them into chunks and cook for 20 minutes in a large pan of salted water, until a knife goes in easily. Drain well and let them dry for 2 minutes in the hot pan.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and cook it in the olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Chop the parsley and the capers.
- Mash the potatoes with a fork or a masher. Add the onion, parsley, capers, beaten egg, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Fold a pastry sheet in half to make a half-moon, then fold both sides towards the centre to make a long strip. Place 2 generous spoonfuls of filling at one end.
- Fold the strip over the filling into a triangle, then keep folding in triangles to the end, like a samosa. Seal the end with a little egg yolk. Repeat with all 8 sheets.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan to a depth of 2 cm, to about 170 °C. Fry the briks 2 at a time, 1 to 2 minutes per side, until deep golden.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Tips and variations
- Add 80 g of flaked tuna or a little grated cheese to the filling for a richer version.
- To bake them, brush the briks with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes at 200 °C, turning halfway.
- The filling can be made the day before and kept covered in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Reheat fried briks for 5 minutes in a 180 °C oven, never in the microwave, which makes them soggy.
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.