Israeli Sabich with Eggplant (Printable View)

Warm pita pockets filled with crispy fried eggplant, creamy tahini, eggs, and fresh Israeli salad for a hearty vegetarian meal.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Eggplant

01 - 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

→ Eggs

05 - 4 large eggs

→ Israeli Salad

06 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
07 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
08 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Tahini Sauce

13 - 1/2 cup tahini paste
14 - 1/4 cup water
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt, to taste

→ Assembly

18 - 4 large pita breads
19 - 1/2 cup pickled mango sauce (amba), optional
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
21 - 1/4 cup pickles, sliced (optional)
22 - Hot sauce, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Sprinkle salt over eggplant slices and let rest for 15 minutes to extract moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Lightly coat eggplant slices in flour. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry slices until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
03 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Cool in ice water, peel, and slice.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chopped parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly.
05 - Whisk tahini paste, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt together until smooth. Adjust water to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Gently warm pita breads, then slice open to create pockets.
07 - Fill each pita pocket with fried eggplant, sliced eggs, Israeli salad, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Add amba, pickles, hot sauce, and cilantro as preferred.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The eggplant gets golden and crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, which somehow tastes better when you've made it yourself.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and everyone becomes vegetarian for the meal without noticing.
  • You can build each pita exactly how you want it, which means no complaints at the table.
02 -
  • Salting the eggplant isn't optional—it removes water that would otherwise make your sabich soggy and greasy, and I learned this the hard way by making it four times before realizing why everyone else's tasted better.
  • The tahini sauce consistency changes everything; too thick and it won't drizzle, too thin and it runs right out of the pita, so add water slowly and taste as you go.
  • Warm the pita right before assembly or it'll be cold and rubbery by the time you've finished building—timing matters here.
03 -
  • Make your Israeli salad first—it actually tastes better after sitting for a few minutes while the flavors get to know each other, so you can prep everything else while it waits.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, fry all your eggplant ahead of time and keep it warm on a low oven shelf; everything else comes together in minutes once you start assembly.
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