Are you ready for a knock-your-socks-off, intensely flavorful stuffed pita sandwich? Then read on! Sabich is an Israeli concoction of all that’s right in the Mediterranean culinary world – fresh hot pitas, fragrant fried eggplant, fresh salads with herbs and loads of savory sauces. Sliced egg adds texture and protein, and makes this the perfect Israeli-style meal for vegetarians. The super cool marbling technique on the hard boiling eggs doesn’t hurt either.
Keep in mind that it’s a lot easier to stuff a whole pita rather than a half. Slice off just a small piece of the top (pizza cutter works well for that) and then gently pry open.
And one final flavor note: you’ll want the flavors of all the sauces to be recognizable in every bite – so go ahead and shmear and drizzle liberally before and after each layer of ingredients.
Sabich
PrintIngredients
- 4 pitas
- 1 large eggplant or 2 Japanese eggplants
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 English breakfast tea bag
- ½ English cucumber
- 2 roma or vine-ripe tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ small red onion, chopped
- ½ lemon
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 tbsp hummus
- Amba sauce
- Tahini sauce
Instructions
- Wash eggplant and discard ends. Chop into 2” pieces, place in paper towel lined bowl and salt thoroughly. Allow eggplant to ‘sweat’ and release moisture for about 30 minutes.
- In a small pot, combine eggs and tea bag and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- To brown the eggs, remove from pot one at a time with a slotted spoon, crack slightly (I hit them gently with the bottom of a mug), and return to pot for an additional 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Turn off heat, drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine cucumber, tomato, red onion and parsley in a medium bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over it, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a deep frying pan on medium high heat. Fry eggplant slices until golden, and then transfer to paper towel lined plates to drain excess oil. Repeat until all eggplant is fried.
- Warm pitas in oven for 3-5 minutes. Slit open the tops.
- Peel and slice eggs.
- To assemble sandwiches, spread bottoms of pita with a tablespoon of hummus. Add Israeli salad (use a slotted spoon to avoid the liquid), fried eggplant and a few slices of egg. Drizzle with tahini and amba sauce.
