This is a North African dish (Tunisian & Algerian) using Frico’s Red Hot Dutch in shredded form.

Oozy egg & chili cheese brick

Brick is the paper-thin type of pastry in Tunisia. It is thinner than filo and crunchier – it resembles spring rolls wrappers (use these for best results in this recipe). It gets its name from a Tunisian street snack also called the Brick often stuffed with herbs, cheese, minced meat, potatoes and goes like this…

PREPARATION TIME 5 minutes
COOKING TIME 15 minutes
Oozy egg & chili cheese brick

5.3 oz minced meat (OR leftover cooked minced meat)

1/2 bunch parsley (chopped)

2 stalks spring onion (OPTIONAL)

8-piece spring roll pastry (OR Filo pastry – 6 to 7.5 inch squares)

4 eggs

8 tablespoons Frico Red Hot Dutch cheese (wedge) (shredded)

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 cup corn oil (for frying)

Place a small pot with a drop of olive oil on medium heat. Add defrosted minced meat, salt & pepper to taste and stir a couple of times. It should take about 10 minutes to completely cook through. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Chop parsley and spring onions (if using any) and mix it with the minced meat. Discard any liquid from the meat.

Use previously shredded Red Hot Dutch cheese or shred the needed amount from the 8.2 oz wedge.

Preheat corn oil in a medium pot.

Use a shallow bowl (for an example a single serving soup bowl) to help prepare the brick. Place two filo squares in the centre of the bowl making sure that the corners are not overlapping – you should have 8 corners sticking out of the bowl. Put 2 tablespoons from the minced meat parsley mix and 2 tablespoons shredded Red Hot Dutch cheese. Create a little nest for the egg then carefully crack one in. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Fold in the corners of the filo to create a parcel. The 8 corners should overlap to keep the egg sealed in.

Place the brick seal-side down in the hot oil. That way the oil will completely seal it. Let it fry for a minute on this side then turn it on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes until golden. At this point the egg will be slightly cooked yet still runny while cheese has melted. Remove the hot brick from the oil and place it on kitchen paper to get rid of the residue grease.

While one brick fries, you can prepare the next one and place it in the hot oil as soon as the first one is out and so on until you have 4 pieces ready. Serve them warm.

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