Fatimas Fingers
Photography Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Brik Pastry: also called warka or ouarka, is a crisp, extremely thin crepe from North Africa. It is used to make the famous Moroccan pigeon pies, ‘bisteeya’, and Tunisian parcels called ‘borek’. One of my favourite books, Moro (Ebury Press), has a wonderful series of images showing Brik being made.
Serves: 20
INGREDIENTS
Filling
2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
200g cooked chicken breast, chopped
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To finish
10 x 30cm Brik pastry sheets, cut in half
olive oil and canola oil for frying
long sticks of cucumber for garnish
METHOD
Place all the filling ingredients in a food processor and pulse to make a paste. Season well. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This can be made the day before. Combine the two oils in a sauté pan to a depth of 21⁄2 cm and heat to ‘deep frying’ temperature, 190ºC. Use a deep fry thermometer to ensure you are cooking at the correct temperature.
Using a palate knife, spread a thin layer of paste on each half sheet of Brik pastry and generously dampen the edges with water. Roll up into long finger shapes, sealing the edges well. Carefully place 2 or 3 in the hot oil and cook the fingers in batches until crisp and golden, turning once or twice. Drain well on paper towels and serve warm. To serve: Stand the fingers up in a small bucket or container with the sticks of cucumber. Makes 20
Brik pastry is available from Epicurean and selected stores nationwide
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