Sabich (Israeli Pita Sandwich)

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for 1 cup Hummus or ½ cup Tahini Dressing 1 1 cup Hummus or ½ cup Tahini Dressing (opens in new tab) 1 cup Hummus or ½ cup Tahini Dressing
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • (½ teaspoon ground cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a food processor: One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas; ⅓ cup tahini; 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; (½ teaspoon ground cumin); ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  2. Puree until smooth, gradually adding up to ¼ cup cold water as needed to achieve a soft, creamy consistency. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and garnish with: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; Sprinkling of paprika, sumac, Aleppo or Urfa chile powder, Baharat, or Za’atar; (Dollops of a spicy condiment such as Harissa or Zhug)
• Hide ingredients for 8 slices Roasted Eggplant II or Fried Eggplant 1 8 slices Roasted Eggplant II or Fried Eggplant (opens in new tab) 8 slices Roasted Eggplant II or Fried Eggplant
  • 1 whole eggplant
  • (Garlic slivers)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, melted butter, or toasted sesame oil
  • Chopped herbs, such as marjoram or basil
  • Plain yogurt
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), stem ends trimmed
  • Olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil
  • Lemon juice or dollops of plain Greek yogurt or labneh

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make several slits with a knife tip in: 1 whole eggplant
  2. If desired, fill the cuts with: (Garlic slivers)
  3. Set in a baking dish. Bake until the eggplant has collapsed, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size. Transfer to a colander so that any juices can drain off, then cut in half and scoop out the pulp. Leave it coarse or mash it to a puree. Use for eggplant dips, such as Baba Ghanoush, or season to taste with any of the following: Extra-virgin olive oil, melted butter, or toasted sesame oil; Chopped herbs, such as marjoram or basil; Lemon juice or any vinaigrette; Plain yogurt; Salt and black pepper
  4. HALVES OR SLICES
  5. Halved or sliced eggplant, brushed with oil, is delicious roasted and topped or seasoned with a variety of delicious ingredients. For a meaty main-course dish, you may top with Keftedes or Becker Lamb Patties. For slices, see Pasta alla Norma.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve lengthwise or peel and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices: 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), stem ends trimmed
  7. If using eggplant halves, score the flesh in parallel diagonal lines, then make perpendicular slashes to create a diamond pattern (do not puncture the skin). Liberally brush the cut surfaces of the eggplant halves or slices with: Olive oil
  8. Dust evenly with: ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper or 1 teaspoon Baharat
  9. Place the eggplant halves or slices cut side up on a baking sheet and roast until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes for slices and about 30 minutes for halves. For a simple side, garnish with: Chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil; Lemon juice or dollops of plain Greek yogurt or labneh
  10. Or top with any of the following: Raita, Tzatziki, Tahini Dressing, Zhug, Tapenade, or a tomato sauce and a grating of Parmesan
• Hide ingredients for 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs, sliced 1 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs, sliced (opens in new tab) 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs, sliced
  • Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  • Cold water
  • Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Place in a pot in a single layer: Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  2. Cover them by 1 inch with: Cold water
  3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Promptly remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the eggs stand: 8 to 12 minutes for large eggs, or 11 to 15 minutes for extra-large and jumbo eggs (6 to 10 minutes for small and medium eggs). For room temperature eggs, subtract 1 minute from these cooking times. The lower amount of time will yield eggs that have set whites and barely set yolks, while the higher amount of time will yield eggs that are hard-cooked all the way through. When the eggs are done, run cold water over them to stop the cooking.
  4. To peel hard-boiled eggs, crack the shell all over and roll the egg gently between the palms of your hands to free the thin tough skin from the egg and make shelling easier. Find the air cell and start peeling from there, peeling away the inner membrane along with the shell. Rinse the eggs after shelling to remove any shell fragments.
  5. To slice eggs smoothly, dip a knife blade into water before slicing. Hard-boiled eggs are best stored in their shells in the refrigerator. A peeled hard-boiled egg should be used within a few days.
  6. STEAM METHOD
  7. Have ready: Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  8. If using a steamer insert, gently place the eggs inside, bring 1½ inches of water to a rapid boil in a pot, and fit the insert onto the pot. If using a steamer basket, place it inside the pot, bring the water to a boil, and gently place the eggs in the basket with long-handled tongs. Cover immediately and steam the eggs on high heat for 8 minutes for large eggs with a set white and fudgy yolk, or 11 minutes for eggs that are firm all the way through. For room temperature eggs, subtract 1 minute from these cooking times. As the eggs cook, fill a bowl with ice water. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice water and cool completely. Peel as directed in I.
• Hide ingredients for 2 cups Shirazi or Israeli Salad 1 2 cups Shirazi or Israeli Salad (opens in new tab) 2 cups Shirazi or Israeli Salad
  • 1 pound very ripe tomatoes, chopped, or halved cherry tomatoes
  • 5 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber (about 12 ounces), sliced or diced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped, or 5 green onions, sliced
  • ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • ⅓ cup mint leaves
  • (2 tablespoons chopped dill)
  • (1 teaspoon ground sumac)
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, or red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a salad bowl: 1 pound very ripe tomatoes, chopped, or halved cherry tomatoes; 5 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber (about 12 ounces), sliced or diced; ½ red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped, or 5 green onions, sliced; ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves; ⅓ cup mint leaves; (2 tablespoons chopped dill); (1 teaspoon ground sumac)
  2. Pour over the vegetables and toss to combine: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, or red wine vinegar; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• (1 cup sliced dill pickles)
• Hide ingredients for Zhug and/or puréed amba 1 Zhug and/or puréed amba (opens in new tab) Zhug and/or puréed amba
  • 2 to 8 serrano peppers, seeded
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ cups packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
  • ½ cup packed coarsely chopped parsley leaves and stems
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground green or black cardamom seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • (½ teaspoon ground caraway)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Coarsely chop: 2 to 8 serrano peppers, seeded; 4 garlic cloves
  2. Add to a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Add and pulse into a chunky paste: 1 ½ cups packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems; ½ cup packed coarsely chopped parsley leaves and stems; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon ground green or black cardamom seeds; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; (½ teaspoon ground caraway)
  3. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
• 4 pitas