I’m excited to share this popular street food recipe with you and also its interesting origins on the streets of Alexandria, Egypt. Hawawshi Iskandarani, generally, is a bread stuffed with minced meat and Egyptian spices. It either cooked on the stove or inside the oven, depending on if you’re making “baladi” (traditional) or Alexandrian Hawawshi.
What is the origin of Hawawshi?
Hawashi Iskandarani is an authentic Egyptian recipe that spread in Egypt starting in 1972 after a butcher named Ahmed al-Hawawsh invented it at his stall in the Souk Al-Tawfik neighborhood of Cairo. It spread all across Egypt and developed a slightly different variation in the city of Alexandria.
How are “baladi” and Alexandrian Hawawshi different?
The Alexandrian version uses different spices and, instead of being stuffed in the Egyptian flat bread, the meat is placed between two pieces of dough. Generally, Hawawshi is served at home with Egyptian Green Salad and a tahini sauce.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HAWAWSHI ISKANDARANI
Authentic Hawawshi Iskandarani (Alexandrian Hawawshi) Recipe
Equipment
- Meat grinder
- mixing bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 100 ml oil
- 565 grams all-purpose flour according to the needs of the dough
- 300 ml milk or warm water for kneading
- 1 tablespoon yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ kilo minced lamb
- ½ kilo ground beef
- 3 large onions (300 grams)
- Hot red and green pepper, to taste
- green pepper, to taste
- parsley, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Hawawshi spices
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- nigella sativa or sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 270 degrees.
- In a large bowl, put the milk, sugar and yeast, stir well and cover the bowl to let the yeast react.1 tablespoon yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, 300 ml milk or warm water for kneading
- After ten minutes have passed, add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder. The baking powder will help you get a fluffy and wonderful hawawshi dough.1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Add 4 tablespoons of yoghurt. The yoghurt should be warm!1 tablespoon yoghurt
- Add the flour, then start stirring.565 grams all-purpose flour according to the needs of the dough
- Add half the amount of oil and start kneading the dough.100 ml oil
- Cover the dough and let it ferment for half an hour.
- After half an hour, press the dough twice to get the air out.
- Divide the dough into equal pieces, each about 190 grams.
- Shape the dough into a ball and then grease it with oil, then cover the dough and leave it for another 30 minutes.
- Put the minced lamb and beef in a large bowl, and add the onions and the spices. The amount and which you use are up to you!½ kilo minced lamb, ½ kilo ground beef, 1 tablespoon Hawawshi spices, salt, to taste, black pepper, to taste, 3 large onions (300 grams)
- Add vegetables (red peppers, greens, parsley, and garlic.)Hot red and green pepper, to taste, green pepper, to taste, parsley, to taste, 4 garlic cloves
- Put all the above ingredients in a meat grinder and mince them.
- Roll out the dough (you can use flour or oil, but oil is preferable to make it easier. Divide each dough ball in half, one for the bottom and one for the top.
- Put the meat on the dough and spread it well, about 200 grams of meat per piece.
- Cover the meat with the other half of the dough ball.
- Press the dough closed, starting from the bottom part first (the bottom part folds over the top.)
- Grease the surface of the hawawshi with a little ghee.
- Garnish the Alexandrian Hawawshi with a little sesame and nigella, if you choose.nigella sativa or sesame seeds
- In the preheated oven, put the Hawawshi in for 10 minutes.
- Take the Hawawshi out of the oven, let it cool, and serve!
Notes
Resouce : Homemade Egyptian Hawawshi
