Egyptian Hawawshi
A savory Egyptian street food favorite — spiced minced beef and lamb stuffed inside pockets of whole wheat pita bread and baked until crispy on the outside.
Ingredients
Meat Filling
- 250g ground beef
- 250g ground lamb
- 1 large onion, grated and drained of excess water
- 1 green bell pepper, finely minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Bread & Baking
- 4 round whole wheat pita breads (Baladi bread)
- 2 tbsp melted butter or olive oil for brushing
Instructions
Mix Filling
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, grated onion, minced peppers, parsley, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Knead the mixture with your hands until sticky and well blended.
Stuff Bread
Carefully cut a slit along the edge of each pita bread to create a pocket. Take a portion of the meat mixture and spread it evenly inside the bread, pressing down so the meat forms a thin layer.
Brush with Oil
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the outside of each stuffed pita bread lightly with melted butter or olive oil on both sides. Wrap each pita in aluminum foil.
Bake
Place the wrapped Hawawshi directly on the oven rack. Bake for 15 minutes. Unwrapper them from the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes directly on the rack until the bread is crispy and brown.
Serve
Cut the hot crispy pita breads into halves or quarters and serve hot with tahini sauce and pickled vegetables.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.