Sabich (Israeli Eggplant and Egg Pita Sandwich)

Sabich is an Israeli sandwich rooted in Iraqi-Jewish tradition, layering fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, and tangy amba pickle into warm pita. It began as a Shabbat-morning breakfast and is now a beloved street food across Tel Aviv.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• Salt, for salting eggplant
• Olive oil, for frying
• 4 pita breads
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 cup shredded cabbage or Israeli salad (diced tomato and cucumber)
• 1/4 cup tahini sauce
• 2 tbsp amba (pickled mango sauce)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Salt the eggplant
   Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry.
2. Fry the eggplant
   Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry eggplant until golden and tender, 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
3. Boil the eggs
   Boil eggs for 9-10 minutes, then cool, peel, and slice.
4. Warm the pita
   Lightly warm pita breads on a dry skillet or in the oven.
5. Assemble the sandwich
   Open each pita and layer in fried eggplant, sliced egg, cabbage or Israeli salad, tahini, and amba.
6. Garnish and serve
   Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately while the eggplant is still warm.

The combination of creamy tahini and sour amba is what makes sabich unforgettable, don’t skip either one.