These delicious fried Moroccan pastries feature a savory filling of potatoes, tuna and onions enclosed in crispy, paper-thin warqa dough. Spring roll paper or phyllo dough can be used as substitutes.
The recipe is very flexible; you can add hot sauce, harissa or chopped chili peppers for a fiery touch, or use capers in place of the olives. Season the filling to taste with salt, pepper and cumin.
Serve the briouats as an appetizer or starter course, or present them as part of an iftar spread during Ramadan.
Also try Tuna Briouats with Cheese and Onions.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
- ----- For the Filling ----
- 2 large potatoes
- 6 oz. (170 g) canned tuna, drained (or more to taste)
- 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- handful of green and/or black pitted olives, finely chopped
- salt
- pepper
- cumin
- cayenne pepper (optional)
- harissa or hot sauce (optional)
- ----- For Folding Briouats ----
- 1/2 kg (17 oz.) warqa or spring roll pastry
- melted butter, for brushing the dough
- 1 egg yolk, beaten, for sealing the dough
Preparation:
Make the Filling
Peel the potatoes, cut them into large cubes, and boil until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes. Combine the mashed potatoes with the remaining ingredients, generously seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper, and mixing in as much olive oil as desired (2 to 4 tablespoons) to lighten the mixture to desired texture.
Fold the Briouats
Note: I like to fold tuna and potato briouats into large cylinders or egg roll shapes, as described below. Small rounds of warqa or square spring roll wrappers are easiest for this. If you prefer, you can fold the briouats into triangles.
Lay an approximately 6" circular sheet of warga on your work surface. (Or, use a square sheet of spring roll pastry; lay it out with a corner facing you, as in a diamond-shape.). Lightly brush butter on the bottom two-thirds of the dough.
Take a small handful of filling, mold it into a sausage shape, and place it about 2 inches from the bottom edge or corner of the dough. Fold up the bottom of the dough to enclose the filling. Next, fold the two sides in toward the center and over the filling, trying to keep the folded edges of the dough straight. Roll up the pastry from the filling toward the top, sealing the top edge of dough with a little egg yolk.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. At this point the briouats may be covered and refrigerated until frying; or, they may be frozen for up to two months for later use.
Fry the Briouats
Heat one inch of oil in a deep skillet or wide sauce pan over medium heat. Deep fry the tuna and potato briouats in batches until light golden brown, turning several times. Drain and serve warm.
Briouats stay warm for a long time, but if frying them well in advance of serving, you can reheat them in a 350° F (180° C) oven for five to 10 minutes.
