Mhadjeb with Brick Pastry Sheets

Ingredients

• 1 paquet (≈250 g) Brick pastry sheets (frozen brick pastry sheets)
• 200 g Tomato puree (canned tomato puree)
• 1 kg Onions (peeled and sliced into strips)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Bell pepper concentrate (or tomato concentrate)
• 1 cuillère à café Ground black pepper
• 1 cuillère à café Mild chili powder (or sweet paprika)
• 1.5 cuillère à café Salt
• 100 g Ricotta (optional) (optional, for extra softness)
• 3 cuillères à soupe Olive oil (for cooking)
• 80 ml Sunflower oil (for the softening mixture)
• 150 ml Milk
• 1 unité Egg
• 2 cuillères à café Harissa (optional) (for a spicy version)

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients

   Peel and slice the onions into strips, measure the quantities and have all ingredients within reach.

   Time: PT10M

2. Sauté the concentrate

   Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the bell pepper (or tomato) concentrate and lightly brown it.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: feu moyen

3. Sauté the onions and spices

   Add the sliced onions, the teaspoon of pepper, the mild chili powder and the salt. Cook until the onions become translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: feu moyen

4. Add the tomato puree

   Pour the 200 g of tomato puree, stir, cover the pan and let reduce over medium heat for about 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: feu moyen

5. Cool the filling

   Transfer the filling to a large bowl, let it cool completely (about 10 minutes) before handling.

   Time: PT10M

6. Prepare the softening mixture

   In a bowl, whisk 150 ml of milk, 80 ml of sunflower oil, 1 egg and ½ teaspoon of salt until you obtain a homogeneous liquid.

   Time: PT5M

7. Assemble the mhadjeb

   Dip a whole brick sheet in the mixture, place it on a plate, spread a layer of filling, fold the edges, cover with a second dipped sheet and fold to form a compact square.

   Time: PT15M

8. Pan-frying

   Heat the non‑stick pan over medium heat, place the mhadjeb and cook 5 minutes per side until a nice golden color is achieved.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: feu moyen

9. Serve

   Arrange the hot mhadjeb on a platter. Serve plain or brush with a little harissa for a spicy version.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

10 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Brick pastry sheets: phyllo sheets
• Instead of Tomato puree: crushed tomatoes
• Instead of Bell pepper concentrate: tomato concentrate
• Instead of Ricotta (optional): cream cheese
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Sunflower oil: olive oil
• Instead of Egg: chicken egg

Equipment Needed

• Non‑stick pan
• Saucepan or sauté pan
• Bowl
• Whisk
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Spatula
• Plate

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sauté the concentrate
• Sauté the onions and spices
• Add the tomato puree and reduce
• Cool the filling
• Assemble the mhadjeb
• Final pan-frying

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use whole milk for extra softness.
• Add a pinch of ground cumin to the filling for more aromatic depth.
• Serve the mhadjeb with mint yogurt to balance the heat.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Freezer: Pack individually, up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Consume immediately, do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the filling ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
• The softening mixture can be prepared the day before and kept chilled.
• Mhadjeb can be frozen raw, then cooked directly in the pan.