Weekday Bricks (brick pastries stuffed with fish and vermicelli)

Ingredients

• 30 g Fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 c. à café Sweet paprika
• 1 cm Fresh ginger (grated)
• 0.5 c. à café Salt
• 0.25 c. à café Ground black pepper
• 1 pincée Cumin (very little)
• 20 g Preserved lemon (chopped)
• 2 c. à soupe Olive oil
• 1 c. à soupe Fresh lemon juice (juice of ½ lemon)
• 2 gousses Garlic (minced)
• 50 g Chinese vermicelli (soaked 5 min in boiling water then drained)
• 300 g Frozen Alaska pollock fillet (thawed, sliced)
• 100 g Shelled shrimp
• 100 g Sliced calamari
• 0.5 c. à café Ground turmeric
• 50 g Pitted green olives (chopped into small pieces)
• 1 piece Egg (medium size)
• 50 g Sunflower oil (≈ 3 tbsp)
• 80 ml Whole milk
• 10 feuilles Brick pastry sheets (preferably fresh)

Instructions

1. Prepare the herb base

   In a large bowl, combine the chopped cilantro, paprika, grated ginger, salt, pepper, cumin, chopped preserved lemon, olive oil and lemon juice. Stir well until a homogeneous paste forms.

   Time: PT5M

2. Soak the vermicelli

   Bring 250 ml of water to a boil, plunge the Chinese vermicelli for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander.

   Time: PT5M

3. Sauté the garlic

   In a non‑stick pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for 2 minutes without letting it brown.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

4. Cook the fish and seafood

   Add the pollock slices to the pan, cook for 5 minutes, then flip. Add the shrimp and calamari, continue cooking until all the water has evaporated and the seafood is opaque.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: medium

5. Mix the filling

   Add the drained vermicelli, turmeric, chopped green olives, then mix for 2 minutes to coat everything well.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

6. Let the filling cool

   Remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool completely (about 10 minutes) before adding the egg.

   Time: PT10M

7. Prepare the binder

   In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the sunflower oil, milk and a pinch of salt until a smooth mixture forms.

   Time: PT2M

8. Assemble the bricks

   On a brick sheet, lightly brush the egg‑oil‑milk mixture, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre, fold the sides, brush again, then cover with a second brick sheet and repeat the process. Continue until you have 5 bricks.

   Time: PT10M

9. Pan-fry

   Heat the pan over medium heat, place the bricks and cook 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Press lightly with the spatula to even out the cooking.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: medium

10. Serving

    Serve the bricks hot, accompanied by a small green salad or a light soup, and optionally a few dates for a sweet touch.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Flat-leaf parsley
• Instead of Sweet paprika: Mild pepper
• Instead of Fresh ginger: Ground ginger (½ tsp)
• Instead of Preserved lemon: Fresh lemon + salt
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Chinese vermicelli: Fine rice noodles
• Instead of Frozen Alaska pollock fillet: Fresh cod
• Instead of Shelled shrimp: White fish pieces
• Instead of Sliced calamari: Cuttlefish
• Instead of Pitted green olives: Black olives
• Instead of Egg: Organic chicken egg
• Instead of Sunflower oil: Olive oil
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk
• Instead of Brick pastry sheets: Phyllo dough

Equipment Needed

• Bowl
• Small saucepan
• Colander
• Non‑stick skillet
• Spatula
• Kitchen scissors (optional)
• Bowl for egg‑oil‑milk mixture
• Kitchen brush (optional)
• Plate or serving dish

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the herb base (step 1)
• Cook the fish and seafood (step 4)
• Assemble the bricks (step 8)
• Pan-fry (step 9)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very fresh brick sheets; overly dry sheets break easily.
• For extra flavor, add a pinch of harissa to the filling.
• Brush the bricks with a mixture of half butter, half olive oil for a richer taste.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the uncooked bricks in an airtight container for 2 days. Cooked bricks keep for 1 day in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Raw bricks can be frozen for 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the filling the day before and keep it refrigerated; gently reheat before assembling.
• Prepare the egg‑oil‑milk mixture just before cooking to prevent it from solidifying.
• Raw bricks can be individually wrapped and frozen.