A Tunisian Fricassé is a type of sandwich which is filled with tuna salad, eggs, olives, potatoes and harissa seasoning. The bread is made using white flour and the dough contains eggs. Unlike regular sandwich breads which are baked, the dough is shaped into oval rolls then deep fried. The dough is actually a donut dough, made with less sugar than a regular donut.
Recent variations of this sandwich use baked bread rather than fried and can sometimes include onions and capers in the filling.
Origin & Cultural Significance
According to verbal history, the Tunisian Fricassé is of Jewish origin, created by a woman who was trying to figure out how to use up donuts.
She had prepared donuts for dessert for a dinner party and when her guests cancelled; she was stuck with more donuts than she could eat by herself. Treating the doughnuts like a regular bread and filling it with items she had on hand, the Tunisian Fricassé was born.
Tunisian Fricassé Recipe
Ingredients
Bread
- Active dried yeast - 14g
- Warm water – 240 ml
- Sugar - Pinch
- White flour – 500g
- 1 tsp salt – 1 tsp
- 1 egg – 1
- Oil for coating and frying
Filling
- Tuna packed in oil - 2 cans
- Harissa seasoning – 3 tsp
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped – 2 tbsp
- Mayonnaise – 2 tbsp
- Potatoes, boiled – 4
- Eggs, boiled – 4
- Black olives
Instructions
- In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in 60ml warm water, add a pinch of sugar and wait until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt and make a well in the center.
- Add the remaining water, the yeast and the egg.
- Mix to combine. You may need a bit more water — add just a tablespoon at a time, mixing and gathering in the dough, until it comes together.
- Using your hands, or the dough hook of a stand mixer, knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl, oiling the top of the dough as well, and cover with a tea towel.
- Leave to rise for about an hour until doubled in size.
- Form the dough into 10 small sausage shaped logs.
- Place on a well-oiled tray about 4cm apart (the dough will rise and spread)
- Brush the top of the rolls with oil, cover the tray with a tea towel and let rise for another half hour.
- Pour oil into a heavy-bottom frying pan or a deep fat fryer, heat to 180°C and fry the dough for about 3-5 minutes per side, until deep gold and cooked through.
- Remove and drain on paper towel or a rack.
- Meanwhile, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, parsley and seasoning.
- Finely dice the potatoes.
- Cut the boiled eggs into small pieces or coarsely grate them.
- Mix eggs and potatoes and add a little salt.
- Once cooled, slice open horizontally and serve fill with tuna salad, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes and olives.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 13g
Photo Credit: Habib M’henni/Wikipedia Commons
Photo Credit: Yamen