Malsouka: Tunisian Brik Pastry

I love exotic ingredients. I’d never seen this pastry before (purchased at the Essential Ingredient) so it was an absolute must buy and try. The helpful chap at EI said it was a bit like Asian spring roll pastry to use – which was sort of true – but I think it’s quite different in texture and flavour. It doesn’t need to be frozen and it’s a little more like a stiff crepe, and less pliable or stretchy than spring roll pastry. There’s a website for the importers, but it doesn’t tell you much about what to do with them.

Coming from Tunisia all the instructions are in French, which I luckily speak fairly well, but even school French would get you into the basic swing of what to do, especially with the helpful origami-like illustrations on the back of the packet showing how to fold it into different shapes. You can use sweet or savoury fillings to make Tunisian ‘Brik’ (or Bric) and a few recipes I spied while looking on the web (like this one) had spicy meat fillings, which appealed more at the time to the ravenous hordes than the sweet ones. They often have an egg cracked over the mixture before folding which, as it is quite an art, I decided not to indulge in this first time as I didn’t want to get into 'egg spilling out all over the bench inevitably leading to cranky cook' territory. The important thing with a meat-based filling is to cook it first before assembling, as the sheets brown extremely quickly in the oil and there would be no way a raw meat filling would cook in the same time as the wrapping turns golden brown. I pinched a Stephanie Alexander curry puff filling, so it was Kuala Lumpur meets Carthage in a tag-team event …
1 tbsp Malaysian curry paste or Laksa paste mixed with 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 small onion finely chopped or minced
200g chicken breast fillet, finely diced
150 g potatoes diced the same size as the chicken
100 mls coconut milk
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

Fry the onion ‘til translucent on a medium heat in the oil, and add the paste mixture. Stir and fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken, potato and salt to taste and fry for a few more minutes. Add the coconut milk and reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook 5 minutes until the potato is tender. Add chilli and coriander, increase the heat and cook stirring 'til the liquid is evaporated. Cool completely.


Take a sheet of malsouka and lay a thin line of about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture along the pastry. Fold the bottom section closest to you over the filling, then fold in the two sides, then roll into a cigar shape. Brush the edges with egg wash. Fry the cigars in vegetable or peanut oil for a few minutes each side. Makes 8 briks.

The filling was fabulous and just spicy enough, while being very aromatic. The pastry is light, airy and crisp, crackling and splintering in the mouth as you bite into each brik. I'll get more authentic next time and do a meat, parsley, cheese, and raw egg one (eek!) when I'm feeling very patient. Maybe I'll fold it into a stork shape or a jumping frog as well.

Societe Elgamra feuilles de Malsouka
Available from the Essential Ingredient
AUD $6.50 for 10 sheets.