Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The unexpected bric of a meal




Okay lunch wasn't totally unexpected. We eat every day.

Where was.

I'd expected to pick up Polish guumpies made by a friend. Food is often exchanged from house to house when we don't have time to entertain one another. We are also quick to share leftovers. She's a great cook.

However, we had two errands close to lunch so when Rick suggested we find a restaurant rather than rush home and make veggies to go with the gummpies, I agreed. That will be tomorrow's lunch.

We decided to try some place new.

"What about that Pepper and Salt place you like?" He meant Poivre et Sel at the beach. I've eaten there and he hadn't. Who was I to argue?



It was good to be back in the Tunisian decor with the beautiful plates and friendly family staff.

"They have bric," I said.

"What?" Rick said. He thought I'd said Rick..
The first time I had bric it was made by the father for a friend who spent years in Tunisia. In Boston I'd found a way to make it, but since I've been in Europe I've had to rely on Tunisian restaurants.

Fillings can vary. The first I had was parsley, eggs, onion. Today's was potato, capers and egg.

The next time we need to take the guumpie maker who loves the restaurant as much as I do.

Here's Jamie Oliver's version.


"Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them, in their skins, in the preheated oven until cooked and soft. Allow to cool (leaving the oven on), then peel and mash them.

Bash up 1 teaspoon of the coriander seeds and the chillies in a pestle and mortar. Stir with the cinnamon into the mashed sweet potato and season well. Fold the spring onions and beaten egg into the mashed potato.

Gently melt the butter in a pan. Bash up the remaining coriander seeds. Brush a sheet of filo with some melted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of ground cinnamon and a little of the ground coriander. Cover with the second sheet, and brush and sprinkle as before. Repeat for the third sheet. With a sharp knife, cut the stacked filo sheets into two 15cm squares.

Working quickly to prevent the pastry from drying, do the same with the remaining filo sheets. You should now have four squares of filo. Place a generous tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture in the centre of each square and spread out slightly. Brush the edges of each square with water and fold in half, corner to corner, to make a triangle. Press down at the edges to seal. Brush both sides of each triangle with the rest of the melted butter, place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven until light brown - this will take about 10 minutes.

Mix the red onion with the watercress, mint and parsley. Mix the yoghurt with the lemon juice, a lug of olive oil and the cumin. Dress the salad with the yoghurt dressing and serve with the hot filo briks and the lemon halves."


No comments: