Hawawshi Sandwich (Egypt)
A beloved Egyptian street food featuring spiced ground beef stuffed inside pita or baladi bread and baked until crisp. Flavored with jalapeño, garlic, and warm spices, then served with creamy tahini sauce, it’s a deliciously savory, aromatic bite that’s crunchy outside and juicy inside.
Ingredients:
For the Tahini Sauce:
- ¼ cup (60ml) tahini paste
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- 2 tbsp (29.6ml) lemon juice
- Salt to taste
For the Sandwich:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- ½ bunch parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground allspice
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground cumin
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) salt
- 3 loaves Egyptian baladi bread or pita bread
Method:
Make the Tahini Sauce:
Mix together the tahini paste, water, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. The mixture may look broken or seize up at first – keep mixing and it should come together. Add more water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Set aside.
Make the Hawawshi Sandwiches:
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the ground beef, jalapeno, onion, garlic, parsley, paprika, coriander, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl and mix well, using your hands if desired, until all the ingredients are combined together.
Cut the baladi or pita breads in half and fill with the meat mixture. Transfer the bread to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the meat is cooked and the bread looks crispy.
Serve with a side of tahini for dipping or drizzling over the sandwiches.