Brik

Brik (/briːk/ BREEK; بريك), or “burek” is the north African version of borek, a stuffed filo pastry[1] which is commonly deep fried. The best-known version is the egg brik, a whole egg in a triangular pastry pocket with chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley.[2] With a slightly different shape, but with identical ingredients and method of preparation, the brik is known in Algeria and Libya as bourek (بوراك).[3] Brik is also very popular in Israel, due to the large Tunisian Jewish population there. It is often filled with a raw egg and herbs or tuna, harissa and olives and is sometimes served in a pita. This is also known as a boreeka.[4]

For the surname, see Brik (surname).
For the Arab utensil, see Briq.
Brik
Main ingredientsEggs, pastry

Brik pastry is made by slapping a sticky lump of dough onto a hot non-stick surface in overlapping circles to produce the desired size and cooked for a short amount of time. The brik dough sheets are called malsouka or warka. Typical fillings include tuna, ground meat, raw egg, chicken, or anchovies garnished with harissa, capers, or cheese.

Regional Variants and Preparation

Although the foods origins are hard to trace directly, it dates back at least 500 years in the past.[5] In addition to its unclear origins, it also not known by a singular name; across the Middle East even now, the popular food can be referred to as "bric, börek, burek, warqa or malsouka."[5] The common ingredients in every brik - regardless of how it is called - include the deep fried pastry crust and proteins (like tuna or egg) encased within the wrapping, such as the common French spin known as brik a l'oeuf.[6]

To prepare a classic Tunisian Brik, one must fold the outer pastry into triangle shapes, stuff the mixed ingredients into the wrapper, and then heat them in a frying pan for two to 3 minutes on each side.[7]

See also

References
  1. Alan Davidson, ed., The Oxford Companion to Food, s.v. börek, p. 96
  2. Michael and Frances Field, A Quintet of Cuisines, Time-Life, 1970. ISBN 0-8094-0075-8
  3. Paola Gavin (2005). Mediterranean Vegetarian Cooking. New York: M. Evans. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-59077-191-4.
  4. Ottolenghi, Yotam. Jerusalem. Ten Speed Press.
  5. "Introducing brik, the Tunisian pastry you've probably eaten but never made". Food. 2021-07-11. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  6. "Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia". National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation - Foundation of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts. 2nd Edition.
  7. "Tunisian brik with parsley and egg". Our Tunisian Table. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
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