How-to guide
How to Fold Briouats into Neat Triangles
Briouats are little parcels of warqa or brick pastry filled with anything from spiced meat to almond paste, and the classic shape is a neat triangle folded the way you fold a flag. It looks intricate but it is one repeated motion, and once your hands learn it you can fold a tray in minutes. This guide breaks down the triangle fold and the simpler cigar, plus how to seal them so nothing leaks in the fryer.
About 20 minutes
Step by step
- 1
Cut the pastry into strips
Cut your brick or warqa pastry into long strips about 8-10cm wide. Keep the strips you aren't using under a damp cloth so they stay pliable. Brush each strip lightly with melted butter before filling.
- 2
Place the filling at one end
Set a modest spoonful of cooled filling near the bottom corner of the strip. Don't overfill — an overstuffed briouat splits at the seams when it cooks. Leave room around the filling for the pastry to seal.
- 3
Make the first triangle fold
Fold the bottom corner up and across to form a triangle enclosing the filling, so the bottom edge now runs along the side of the strip. This first fold sets the triangle shape you'll keep.
- 4
Keep flag-folding up the strip
Continue folding the triangle straight up and then diagonally, over and over, the way you'd fold a flag, keeping each fold tight and the triangle neat. The filling stays sealed inside as you go.
- 5
Seal the final flap
When you reach the end, tuck the last flap of pastry into the pocket of the triangle, or glue it down with a dab of flour-and-water paste so it can't spring open. Press the seams so the parcel holds together in the oil.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overfilling, so the briouat bursts and leaks its filling into the oil.
- Using warm filling, which makes the pastry soggy and hard to fold.
- Folding loosely, so the triangle unravels when fried.
- Forgetting to seal the final flap, leaving a gap that opens up while cooking.
Tips from the kitchen
- Let the filling cool completely before folding — warm filling steams the pastry limp.
- A dab of flour-and-water paste on the last flap is the most reliable seal.
- For a quicker shape, roll the strip into a cigar and tuck the ends under instead of folding triangles.
- Freeze folded briouats raw on a tray, then bag them — they fry straight from frozen.
Questions
How do you fold a briouat into a triangle?
Place filling at the bottom of a pastry strip, fold the corner up to make a triangle, then keep folding the triangle up and diagonally like folding a flag until you reach the end, and seal the final flap. It's one repeated motion once you get the rhythm.
Can you bake briouats instead of frying?
Yes. Brush them with butter or oil and bake at around 200°C until golden and crisp. They're a little less rich than fried but hold their shape well and are easier to cook in batches.
Why do my briouats burst when frying?
Usually from overfilling or a poorly sealed seam. Use a modest amount of cooled filling, fold tightly, and glue the final flap with flour paste so there's no gap for the filling to escape.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.