Fricassé (Tunisian Fried Mini Sandwich)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Bread flour, plus extra for dusting — 300 g (2 1/2 cups)
- Instant yeast — 5 g (1 1/2 tsp)
- Sugar — 1 tsp
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Warm water — 180 ml (3/4 cup)
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- Canned tuna, drained — 150 g (5 oz)
- Harissa — 2 tbsp
- Hard-boiled eggs, sliced — 2
- Capers — 2 tbsp
- Black and green olives — a handful
- Tomato, sliced — 1
Method
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil, and knead into a soft dough for 8 minutes until smooth.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- Punch down and divide into 6 small pieces, shaping each into a small oval roll.
- Place on a floured tray, cover, and let rise for a further 20–25 minutes.
- Heat about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) of oil in a deep frying pan to 170°C (340°F) and fry the rolls in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
- Let the fried rolls cool slightly, then split each one open without cutting all the way through.
- Spread the inside generously with harissa, then fill with tuna, sliced egg, capers, olives and tomato.
- Serve immediately while the bread is still warm.
Introduction: Fricassé are small, soft, deep-fried sandwich rolls, split open and stuffed generously with tuna, harissa,
olives, capers and a boiled egg, sold from stalls and small shops across Tunisia as a quick, satisfying
snack or light meal.
Cultural Background: Fricassé are small, soft, deep-fried sandwich rolls, split open and stuffed generously with tuna, harissa,
olives, capers and a boiled egg, sold from stalls and small shops across Tunisia as a quick, satisfying
snack or light meal.
Tips: Frying rather than baking the rolls gives fricassé its distinctive soft yet slightly crisp-edged texture. Fill generously — fricassé are meant to be substantial, overstuffed sandwiches.
Variations: Add sliced potato or grilled pepper to the filling. Use grilled chicken instead of tuna for a variation. A vegetarian version can be made by omitting the tuna and filling with extra egg, olives and grilled
vegetables instead.
Storage: Best eaten fresh; the rolls can be fried ahead and stored at room temperature for a day, then filled just
before serving.
Reheating: Warm the plain fried rolls briefly in a low oven before filling; do not reheat once filled.
FAQs:
Q: Why is the bread fried rather than baked?
A: Frying gives fricassé rolls their characteristic soft, slightly crisp texture, distinct from a baked sandwich roll.
Q: Can I make the rolls ahead?
A: Yes, fry them ahead and store at room temperature, filling fresh just before serving.
Q: What's the most common filling?
A: Tuna, harissa, egg, olives and capers are the classic combination, though fillings vary by vendor.
- Bread flour, plus extra for dusting — 300 g (2 1/2 cups)
- Instant yeast — 5 g (1 1/2 tsp)
- Sugar — 1 tsp
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Warm water — 180 ml (3/4 cup)
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- Canned tuna, drained — 150 g (5 oz)
- Harissa — 2 tbsp
- Hard-boiled eggs, sliced — 2
- Capers — 2 tbsp
- Black and green olives — a handful
- Tomato, sliced — 1
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