Tunisian Brik Pastry Snack (Printable version)

Golden phyllo wraps spiced meat and egg, fried crisp for a flavorful snack or appetizer.

# What you need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 4.2 oz ground beef or lamb
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1/2 tsp ground coriander
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Pastry & Assembly

08 - 4 large phyllo (filo) pastry sheets
09 - 4 large eggs
10 - 4 tbsp grated Gruyère or mozzarella cheese (optional)
11 - Sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying

# Steps to follow:

01 - Sauté finely chopped onion in a small amount of oil over medium heat until softened. Add ground meat along with cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat is fully browned. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat to cool slightly.
02 - Lay a phyllo sheet on a clean surface; use two sheets if very thin. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat filling onto the center.
03 - Create a small well in the filling and carefully crack an egg into it. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of grated cheese over the filling if using.
04 - Fold the phyllo over the filling to form a triangle or rectangle, sealing edges with a brush of water.
05 - Heat oil to a depth of 1.5 inches in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently slide in the filled pastries and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
06 - Remove pastries with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • That first bite is pure magic—crispy outside, runny egg yolk pooling into savory meat inside.
  • It looks impressive enough to serve guests but honest enough to eat standing up at midnight.
  • The whole thing comes together in 30 minutes, which feels like cheating for something this good.
02 -
  • The egg yolk needs to stay mostly runny—if you fry it too long, you've lost the whole point and made an expensive scrambled egg situation.
  • Phyllo is more forgiving than you think, but don't leave it unwrapped or it dries out and becomes impossible; keep unused sheets under a damp towel while you work.
  • The filling must cool before you assemble or the egg will start cooking from the heat and you'll lose that perfect runny yolk.
03 -
  • Keep unused phyllo sheets under a damp—not wet—towel so they stay pliable and don't crack when you fold them.
  • If you're making several of these at once, you can assemble them all before you start frying, which means you're only managing the oil temperature, not assembly and frying at the same time.
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