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Sabich Sandwiches (Pitas With Eggplant, Eggs, Hummus, and Tahini) Recipe

Daniel Gritzer
Sabich Sandwiches (Pitas With Eggplant, Eggs, Hummus, and Tahini) Recipe

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik. Video: Serious Eats Video]

Falafel may get all the attention, but the sabich, another popular Tel Aviv snack food, has won my heart. Filled with moist slices of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, a generous layer of creamy hummus, crunchy Israeli pickles, and Israeli salad, and drizzled with tahini sauce and amba, a pickled-mango sauce, it's all you could want in any sandwich, and more.

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Why It Works

  • Salting the diced tomato drains off excess water, concentrating the flavor and improving the texture.
  • Sprinkling the fried eggplant with salt while it's still hot ensures that it will adhere.

Read more: Better Than Falafel? Israel's Sabich Sandwich Has My Vote

  • Yield:Serves 4
  • Active time: 40 minutes
  • Total time:40 minutes
  • Rated: 4.6

Ingredients

  • 2 plum tomatoes (7 ounces; 200g), cored and diced
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying
  • 3/4 pound Italian eggplant (about 1 medium eggplant; 350g), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
  • 1/2 large seedless cucumber (7 ounces; 200g), diced
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cored head cabbage (7 ounces; 200g), thinly shredded
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) white wine vinegar
  • 4 fresh rounds pita bread, warmed and split just enough to form a pocket
  • 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought hummus (6 ounces; 170g)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) homemade or store-bought tahini sauce (note that tahini and tahini sauce are different products)
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
  • Israeli pickles, for serving (see note)
  • Amba sauce, for serving (see note)

Directions

  1. 1.

    Place tomatoes in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and toss with a generous pinch of salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Meanwhile, heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, fry eggplant slices, rotating for even browning and turning once halfway through, until golden on both sides and tender throughout, about 5 minutes; lower heat if oil begins to smoke. Transfer eggplant to a paper towel–lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

  3. 3.

    Transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl and discard drained liquid. Add cucumber, lemon juice, and parsley to tomatoes. Season Israeli salad with salt to taste and mix well.

  4. 4.

    In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with vinegar and season with salt.

  5. 5.

    In each pita pocket, smear 3 tablespoons (45ml) of hummus in an even layer. Layer 2 to 3 slices fried eggplant on top of each. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon (15ml) tahini sauce, then top with sliced eggs, Israeli pickles, and remaining tahini sauce. Spoon some of the Israeli salad into each pita, drizzle with amba, and serve.

Amba Pickled Mango Sauce 17 Oz. Pk Of 3.

$24.99from Amazon

Osem Mediterranean Pickles in Brine, Medium, 18-ounces (Pack of 12)

Availablefrom Amazon

Fine-Mesh Strainers

$37.89 from Amazon
This Recipe Appears In
Better Than Falafel? Israel's Sabich Sandwich Has My Vote

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Daniel Gritzer Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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