Israeli Sabich with Pita (Printable)

Warm pita filled with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, tahini, and fresh Israeli salad for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let them rest for 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
02 - Lightly dredge eggplant slices in flour. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
03 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Transfer to ice water to cool, then peel and slice.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss well to incorporate flavors.
05 - Whisk together tahini paste, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust water to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Gently warm pita breads and slice open to create pockets for filling.
07 - Fill each pita with fried eggplant slices, sliced eggs, Israeli salad, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Add pickled mango sauce (amba), sliced pickles, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro as desired.
08 - Serve immediately while warm for optimal flavor and texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crispy fried eggplant stays golden even as it softens inside, giving you that textural magic that makes vegetarian food feel indulgent.
  • It's faster than you'd expect for something this impressive, ready in under an hour from start to satisfied.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so assembling warm pitas at the last minute actually becomes the fun part instead of a scramble.
02 -
  • The salt-and-wait step on the eggplant is not optional theater—it genuinely prevents sogginess by removing the moisture that would otherwise turn crispy into mushy during frying.
  • Your tahini sauce will seem like it's breaking or getting too thick at first; keep whisking and add water incrementally instead of dumping it in all at once, and it will come back together into something silky and perfect.
  • The pita pocket needs to be warmed through, not toasted; a warm, pliable pita holds everything without tearing, while a cold one will split and leak tahini all over your hands.
03 -
  • If your tahini sauce is too thick and won't pour, loosen it with water a teaspoon at a time while whisking—it's easier to thin than to fix when it's broken.
  • The eggplant is best fried in oil that's around 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit; too cool and it absorbs oil instead of crisping, too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks.
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