Like Moroccan briouat, Tunisian briks use warka, a phyllolike wrapper, to contain a filling. This one is most commonly filled with a whole egg—a spicy sort of poached egg in a thin, crisp shell—rather great. Tuna is a nice complement to the egg filling, but you can do without it. These are best eaten hot, but beware of egg running onto your shirt—which is exactly what happened to me. If you use warka or phyllo, keep it covered with a damp cloth while you work. Egg roll wrappers need no special treatment, but they’re not as thin or crisp.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　One 6-ounce can tuna, preferably packed in olive oil, drained, optional

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon black pepper

　　4 warka, phyllo, or egg roll sheets, thawed if frozen

　　Corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for frying

　　4 small eggs

　　1 lemon, cut into quarters

　　

Step 1

Mix the tuna, if you’re using it, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Use a pair of scissors or a jar to cut the wrappers into 4- to 5-inch circles (squares will work too) and moisten the edges very lightly with drops of water.

　　

Step 2

Put about 1/2 inch of oil in a medium skillet or wide saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Divide the tuna mixture among the wrappers. Working quickly, crack an egg on top of each, fold into a semicircle, and seal the edge tightly.

　　

Step 3

When the oil shimmers, fry the briks, two at a time, until golden brown, turning once; total cooking time will be less than 2 minutes per brik. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.