Hawawshi (Egyptian Spiced Beef-Stuffed Crispy Pitas) with Tahini

Photo: Mkevy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Cairo street food: pita pockets packed with a thin layer of ground beef mixed with onion, peppers, mint, parsley, cumin and coriander, then baked until the bread is crackly and soaked with meat juices.

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb ground beef (80/20)
• 4 thick pitas, halved
• 1 yellow onion, very finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, very finely chopped
• 1 hot chile, minced
• 1 Roma tomato, finely chopped
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• a handful of mint, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini
• ½ cucumber, sliced

From your pantry: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp allspice, salt, pepper.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
2. Mix the onion, pepper, chile, tomato, herbs, garlic, tomato paste, spices, juice of half the lemon, 1½ tsp salt and pepper. Add the beef and knead with your hands until evenly combined.
3. Spread about ⅓ cup filling in a thin, even layer inside each pita half, pressing it to the edges.
4. Arrange on the pan, rub the outsides with wet hands and brush with the oil. Bake until the bread is deep golden and crisp and the meat is cooked through, about 20 minutes, flipping once halfway.
5. Whisk the tahini with the rest of the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tbsp water. Serve the hawawshi hot with tahini and cucumber.

Tip: Keep the meat layer thin so it cooks before the bread burns; if the bread browns too fast, lower to 375°F. Egyptian cooks often use a beef-and-lamb mix; all beef is just as common at home.

Nutrition per serving

Adapted from The Matbakh.

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