Middle Eastern Sabich Pita (Print Version)

A flavorful blend of fried eggplant, tahini, eggs, and fresh salad tucked inside warm pita bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Eggplant

01 - 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

→ Eggs

05 - 4 large eggs

→ Israeli Salad

06 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
07 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
08 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Tahini Sauce

13 - 1/2 cup tahini paste
14 - 1/4 cup water
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt, to taste

→ Assembly

18 - 4 large pita breads
19 - 1/2 cup pickled mango sauce (amba), optional
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
21 - 1/4 cup pickles, sliced (optional)
22 - Hot sauce, to taste

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let rest for 15 minutes to extract moisture. Pat dry using paper towels.
02 - Lightly coat eggplant slices with all-purpose flour. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and fry eggplant until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
03 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Transfer to ice water to cool, peel, and slice.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chopped parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss thoroughly.
05 - Whisk together tahini paste, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust water quantity for preferred consistency.
06 - Warm pita breads and slice open to create pockets.
07 - Fill each pita pocket with fried eggplant, sliced eggs, Israeli salad, and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Add amba, pickles, hot sauce, and cilantro as desired.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's vegetarian but so hearty and layered that no one will miss meat at your table.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, and most of it can be prepped while the eggplant cooks.
  • The contrast of crispy fried eggplant against creamy tahini and fresh salad is oddly addictive.
02 -
  • Don't skip salting and resting the eggplant—this step is what separates crispy sabich from sad, soggy eggplant.
  • Your tahini sauce can seize and become lumpy if you add the lemon juice too fast; whisk slowly and taste as you go.
  • The magic of sabich is in the contrast of temperatures and textures, so don't assemble it too far ahead or everything will go soft.
03 -
  • Make your tahini sauce first so it has time to come to room temperature and the flavors to meld, and if it's too thick when you're ready to serve, thin it with a few more drops of water.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, fry all your eggplant ahead of time and reheat it in a hot oven for five minutes—it will re-crisp without being greasy.
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