Brika Tunisian Turnovers Recipes

TUNISIAN FISH TAGINE

Steps:

• Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes over low heat. Grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder and set aside.
• Seed the chilies and cut into julienne strips.
• Place half of the olive oil in one large frypan and half in a nonstick pan with a lid. Put the potato into the nonstick pan. Add the tumeric and fry, tossing and turning the potatoes.
• At the same time in the other pan, fry the onion and celery, stirring occasionally. When the onion begins to soften, add the garlic, lime leaves, chiles, cumin, paprika and saffron. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then season lightly with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. Leave in the pan while the potatoes finish cooking.
• As soon as the potatoes are cooked, season the fish steaks with salt and pepper and put them on top of the potatoes. Spoon the onion mixture over and around the steaks and pour over the tomatoes. Bring to boil over a medium-high heat, immediately lower it and cover. Cook gently for 7-10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked. Taste and season.
• Serve in large warmed bowl, sprinkled with cilantro.

BRIKA: TUNISIAN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Combine tuna, mashed potatoes, scallions, parsley, cilantro, feta, eggs, ground caraway, ground coriander, tumeric, garlic powder, capers, and salt and pepper. Mix well so all ingredients are mashed together.
• Place 2 cups of oil into a frying pan and heat.
• Open egg roll wraps (but leave them covered with a damp towel so they will not dry out).
• Take out 1 wrapper and spoon about 3 tablespoons onto 1/2 of the wrap. Fold to form a triangle.
• Repeat with the filling and wrappers until you have exhausted the mixture.
• Place the brika into the hot oil and fry until it is all white on top.
• Turn the brika over and continue frying until light golden in color.
• Remove brika and place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

SPINACH AND PANEER TURNOVERS WITH MANGO BASIL CHUTNEY

Steps:

• For the turnovers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the cumin seeds into a small skillet over medium heat and toast them until they are aromatic, about 30 seconds. Put into a bowl along with the flour and salt and stir to combine. Add 3 tablespoons oil and 1/4 cup water and begin kneading, adding a little more water if there is excess flour and it seems too dry. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and soft. Cover loosely with a towel and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden, about 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek seeds and garam masala and continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and season with salt. Stir until the spinach has wilted, and then transfer into a large bowl. Let cool, and then crumble the paneer into it. Stir gently to combine.
• Cut the dough into 6 pieces and roll each one out into a very thin circle, like a tortilla. Cut into 3 even strips and brush the edges with a bit of water. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each strip. Fold the dough over the filling and then seal tightly. Place the turnovers onto a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the chutney: Put the basil, ginger, vinegar, cardamom, Five-Spice Blend, chili, mango, lime juice, salt and sugar in a blender and pulse until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving.
• Serve the turnovers with the mango and basil chutney.
• Toast the peppercorns in a hot pan until they are aromatic, about 1 minute. Put into an electric spice grinder along with the star anise, cloves and fennel seeds and process into a powder. Add the cinnamon and process for a few seconds to combine. Store in an airtight jar.

CHEDDAR-CHIVE TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Mix 3 tablespoons melted butter with a pinch of salt and cayenne. Lay out rounds of refrigerated biscuit dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the butter; top with shredded cheddar and chopped chives. Fold into half-moons and crimp to seal, then bake as the label directs. Brush with more butter.

TUNISIAN BRIK

Steps:

• Place potato in salted water to cover, bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain, and mash with olive oil.
• Heat 2 cups of grapeseed or canola oil in deep 10-inch skillet to 350 degrees.
• Place spring-roll wrapper on saucer. Place 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes in middle, flattening the center to make a well. Dab it with 1/4 teaspoon harissa if desired. Sprinkle with some capers and parsley.
• Break an egg into the center. Taking care so that none of the egg seeps out, fold over one point of the spring-roll wrapper to meet the opposite point, to make a triangle.
• Gently slip the filled brik off the saucer and into the hot oil. Cook a minute or so, until golden on the underside, turn over and cook about another minute. Remove from the oil with a spatula, and drain briefly on absorbent paper. Prepare the remaining briks, fry them and serve while still hot, with lemon wedges.

TUNISIAN TUNA-AND-EGG TURNOVER

Steps:

• Mash together tuna, scallions, parsley, capers, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl until tuna is broken up and mixture is combined well.
• Stir together egg white and water in a cup with a fork.
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet until it registers 350°F on thermometer.
• While vegetable oil is heating, arrange 2 spring-roll wrappers on a work surface and brush centers lightly with olive oil (do not oil edges). Leaving a 1-inch border all around, put 2 tablespoons tuna mixture near lower right corner of 1 wrapper and form mixture into a ring (about 1/2 inch high and 3 inches in diameter) to contain egg.
• Repeat procedure with other wrapper. Brush edges of both wrappers with egg white mixture (use separate brushes for oil and for egg white), then break an egg inside each "ring" and season eggs lightly with salt and pepper. Fold top left corner of each wrapper over egg to form a triangle and press edges together to seal.
• Immediately lift 1 brik gently by tip of triangle and lower into oil, keeping long side of triangle in center of skillet. Repeat with second brik and fry briks, lapping oil over exposed wrappers with a metal spatula, until undersides are golden, about 1 minute. Flip each brik over sideways with aid of 2 metal spatulas, so long side of each triangle stays in center, then continue to fry, lapping exposed wrapper with oil, until wrapper is golden and egg is cooked but yolk is still runny, about 1 minute more. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, then put on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven while making remaining briks.
• Make more briks in same manner (using a second baking sheet for keeping last batches warm). Return oil to 350°F between batches.
• Serve briks warm.

TUNISIAN BRIK (ESSENTIAL MEDITERRANEAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Metl the butter in a small frying pan and cool the onion over low heat until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the onion, tuna, capers, parsley and parmesan in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cut the filo pastry sheets in half widthways. Layer four of the half-sheets together, brushing each with melted butter. Keep the remaining pastry covered with a tamp towel.
• Spoon half the tuna mixture onto one end of the buttered pastry, leaving a border. Made a well in the center of the mixture and carefully break an egg into the well, being careful not to break it. Season with salt and pepper.
• Layer two more sheets of the filo together, brushing with melted butter, and place on top of the tuna and egg. Fold in the pastry sides, then roll into a firm parcel, keeping the egg intact.
• Place on a lightly greased baking tray and brush with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining pastry, filling and egg.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• NOTE: the yolk is still soft after 15 minutes. If you like your eggs firmer, bake for a little longer.

BRIKA

Steps:

• Combine tuna, mashed potatoes, scallions, parsley, cilantro, feta, eggs, ground caraway, ground coriander, garlic powder, capers, and salt and pepper. Mix well so all ingredients are mashed together. Place 2 cups of oil into a frying pan and heat. Open egg roll wraps (but leave them covered with a towel so they will not dry out). Take out 1 wrapper and spoon about 3 tablespoons onto 1/2 of the spring roll wrap. Fold to form a triangle, or roll up like a traditional egg roll. Repeat with the filling and wrappers until you have exhausted the mixture. Place the brika into the hot oil and fry until it is all white on top. Turn the brika over and continue frying until light golden in color. Remove brika and place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Transfer to a clean plate.

BRIK (TUNISIAN TUNA AND EGG TURNOVER)

Steps:

• Mix together tuna, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spoon about one fourth of the filling onto one half of each wrapper, making a well to hold most of the egg. Break an egg into each well and fold wrapping into triangle shape to cover the mixture and the egg. Seal both sides of the wrapping together. Fry in one half inch of hot olive oil (vegetable oil can be used, but olive oil works best). When brown on one side, flip over to continue frying. A couple minutes on each side is enough if the oil is hot enough. Serve sprinkled with lemon juice.

TUNISIAN BRIKS (BREK)

Steps:

• To prepare the filling:
• 1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and cool.
• 2. Add the tuna, capers, cheese, and parsley to the onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Set aside.
• To assemble:
• 1. In a wide, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to come up the sides of the pan about 1 1/2 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F for frying.
• 2. Quickly spread the egg roll wrappers out on a work surface and brush the edges with the egg white. Place a rounded spoonful of filling (2 to 3 tablespoons) just off center on each wrapper. Using a spoon, press a well into the center of the filling. Break an egg over each portion of filling, catching it in the well.
• 3. Carefully fold each egg roll over to form a triangle, keeping the egg inside its well. Press the edges together to seal closed. For a sturdier pocket, fold each rim over itself by about a 1/2 inch and press to seal.
• 4. Working in batches, gently slide the briks into the hot oil. Spoon hot oil over any dough that may not be submerged. Fry, turning gently as needed, until the briks are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the cooked briks on a cooling rack set over a sheet pan while the others finish cooking. Serve warm with wedges of lemon.