sabich sandwich

with green tahini drizzle

Egyptian food doesn’t get a lot of kudos compared to other Middle Eastern cuisines, but in my experience the food in Alexandria was great. I sampled any and all street food on offer; from the koshari for sale on most street corners, to pitas of freshly fried falafel. In restaurants, I devoured plate after plate of fuul iskandariya, shakshuka and many variations of fresh fish, all with healthy helpings of pita and fresh juice to wash it down (I could write a lot about the fresh juice stands in Alexandria alone; suffice it to say, the juice is bespoke and delicious; my go-to order was a mix of mango and pomegranate). My favourite of all of these was sabich.

Sabich refers to a type of sandwich, served on pita, typically composed of aubergine, tomato, boiled egg and sometimes a few chips (aka french fries; I've officially been in the UK long enough that I’ve fully adopted chips and crisps in lieu of their American terms) and a tahini-based sauce. I’ve written before about how much I love aubergine, so perhaps it’s predictable that I would love an aubergine-based sandwich, but still. 

Recreating a sabich sandwich at home is not a matter of swapping like for like because I, like most people, do not want to go to the trouble of deep-frying in a home kitchen with small children running around. Roasted aubergine plays the starring role in my version, while boiled egg adds a satisfying bite and savoury bend. Tomato salad adds fresh sweetness and pickled shallot provides a hit of acid. The tahini drizzle is simultaneously creamy and tart, and pulls everything together so elegantly you may give up drizzling and resort to pouring instead.

There’s a fair bit of prep to get all the components ready, but once you’ve done that you’ll have a spread to make a delicious lunch for at least 4-6 people. This could be fun for a weekday lunch, but it’s also a good option if you’re having friends over for a weekend lunch and want a build-your-own-plate option.

Ingredients

• 4-6 pieces pita bread, halved

• 4 eggs

For the roast aubergine:

• 2 aubergine

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the green tahini drizzle:

• 100 grams tahini (~6 tablespoons)

• 10 grams parsley 

• 2 lemons

• 180 ml (¾ cup) water

• 1 garlic clove

• ½ teaspoon salt

For the za’atar tomato salad:

• 3 salad tomatoes

• ½ teaspoon za’atar

• ¼ teaspoon salt 

For the pickled shallots:

• 2 shallots

• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). 

2. Slice aubergine into 2 centimetre thick rounds. 

3. Place on a half sheet pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread out as much as the pan allows. Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, rotating the pan 180° halfway through. 

4. Meanwhile, prepare the other sandwich components:

5. Place 1 litre water in a saucepan. Add 4 eggs. Bring to a boil; allow to boil for 1 minute, then turn off the hob. Leave eggs on the hob for 10 minutes; after 10 minutes, drain and peel eggs (run the hot eggs under a cold tap as you peel them so as to not burn your fingers).

6. Chop tomatoes into 2cm square pieces. Toss with za’atar and salt. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

7. Dice shallots roughly; add white wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir to combine evenly, then place in the fridge until ready to use. 

8. Place tahini and parsley in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Squeeze juice of both lemons into a bowl. Add water, garlic and salt. Blend to combine. The sauce should reach a runny consistency, suitable for drizzling; if not runny enough, continue to add water and blend, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach said ‘drizzleable’ consistency.

9. To assemble, gently open half a pita; add 3-4 slices aubergine, ½ boiled egg, a large spoonful of tomatoes, a little spoonful of shallot. Drizzle green tahini over the top, and serve immediately.