It’s been weeks of touring the African continent and certainly, the number of foods and dishes originating from this blessed black world is inexhaustible. The latest we found out is Fricassee, a sandwich which we will be pairing a cold ice , Mazagran. Sure the names may no sound familiar but trust me, they are as easy to make even more than they sound.
Fricassee is a traditional Tunisian sandwich that’s packed with flavor. The base is made with flour, eggs, oil, salt, water, and yeast, and it is then shaped into round or elongated rolls which are fried in hot oil and filled with tuna, hummus, boiled eggs, capers, olives, harissa, and boiled potatoes. Personally, it just sounds more like the loaf of bread stuffed with boiled eggs in the middle which I learnt to eat at Bauchi NYSC camp. At first it was odd to me – I never had it – but then, it tastes just good.
Mazagran on the other hand, often dubbed as the original ice coffee, is a strong coffee poured over ice – simple, isn’t it? The drink is usually served in a tall, narrow glass or an eponymous glass made from porcelain or clay, and its name is supposedly derived from Mazagran, a port city in Algeria, also in North Africa, just as Tunisia. Coffee can be paired with some special snacks and at such, we thought it would be a nice combo having Fricassee and chill drink. So here, how to make the duo. Fricassee Recipe
Ingredients: 4 cups of flour, 2 tsp active dry yeast, 1 tsp. Sugar, 1¼ + ½ cups warm water, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ cup canola oil, canola oil/avocado oil for deep-frying. 3 ounces Yukon Gold potato (yellow potatoes can be a good substitute), 2 large eggs, 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or more as needed, 4 hot dogs buns, Harissa to taste (chili paste is a great substitute), 2 cans tuna in oil, drained and roughly flaked, 1/4 cup of olives, green olives or oil-cured black olives, pitted and halved. Read also: KOKO Drinks: Classic Gin And Tonic, A Simple, Refreshing Drink How To Make First, put the flour in a large bowl and create a crater in the middle. Add dry yeast, sugar and ½ cup of warm water in the crater. Cover with the flour and allow 15 minutes for the yeast to get bubbly and active. Add the rest of the warm water and start kneading the dough. Add in the salt after a few kneading, and when the dough starts to come together, add in the oil. Continue kneading and see how the oil helps to clean your hands. When smooth, form the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set the dough aside in a warm place to rise.
While it is rising, bring a small saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Add the potato and boil for 17 minutes, then add the eggs and boil for an additional 8 minutes (you may need to add more water to the pot if some has evaporated.) While the eggs and potatoes are cooking, prepare an ice bath (iced water or water in ice) in a large bowl.
When the potatoes are done, drain and transfer the potato and eggs to the ice bath until cool enough to handle. Peel and quarter (cut into four equal parts) the eggs, then quarter the potatoes and thinly slice each quarter crosswise.Now the dough should have risen double. Knead it one more time and form small dough balls, roll each part into a long log and cut it into 5 or 6 equal pieces. Roll each little piece into a perfect ball, pinch it and pull just a little on both ends to create the Fricassee roll shape. Leave the rolls as they will still rise again.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Then carefully lift the rolls and drop them in the oil with the spatula – don’t overcrowd the pot-three or four at a time are enough. Fry each side of the roll till it gets golden.Remove the fried rolls onto paper-toweled surface or sieve to get rid of the excess oil. These rolls have the best texture – thin, crispy crust on the outside and soft, fluffy inside. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a liberal amount of harissa (or chili paste) in each roll. To each roll, add the egg quarters and a few potato slices. Add some tuna and top with the olives. If you like, garnish with an additional drizzle of olive oil and/or dash of harissa. That is it, you have your Fricassee! Mazagran Ingredients: 4 tsp Lemon juice, 3 ice cubes, 4 tsp of sugar syrup and coffee How To Make Pour the sugar syrup in a glass and add in 4 tsp of water and . Pour it delicately on the sugar syrup so that it does not mix. Add 3 ice cubes in the glass then pour the coffee delicately on the ice. Mix it all and tadaa, Mazagran is ready. Enjoy with the lovely Fricassee!
Fricassee And Mazagran Are The Perfect Intracontinental Combo You Should Try
Now the dough should have risen double. Knead it one more time and form small dough balls, roll each part into a long log and cut it into 5 or 6 equal pieces. Roll each little piece into a perfect ball, pinch it and pull just a little on both ends to create the Fricassee roll shape. Leave the rolls as they will still rise again.
Remove the fried rolls onto paper-toweled surface or sieve to get rid of the excess oil. These rolls have the best texture – thin, crispy crust on the outside and soft, fluffy inside. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a liberal amount of harissa (or chili paste) in each roll. To each roll, add the egg quarters and a few potato slices. Add some tuna and top with the olives. If you like, garnish with an additional drizzle of olive oil and/or dash of harissa. That is it, you have your Fricassee!
