Hawawshi is one of the most famous Egyptian dishes and recipes. The staple street food dish takes a pita and stuffs it with mince, warm spices, onions, fresh herbs, and garlic to make a true mouthwatering bite.
Exploring Traditional Hawawshi
If you’re craving a taste of Egypt, Hawawshi Baladi is the way to go! This beloved Egyptian street food sandwich takes spiced meat stuffed in pita bread, cooked until crispy and bursting with flavor. Don’t confuse the Egyptian hawawshi with its cousin, the Alexandrian Hawawshi. The Alexandrian Hawawshi uses a special dough, while the Baladi version keeps it simple yet delicious with regular pita bread. This traditional dish is not only a favorite among locals but also a delightful culinary adventure for anyone looking to explore authentic Egyptian cuisine.
Hawawshi Baladi is a staple in Egyptian households and street food culture. Its origins can be traced back to the ingenuity of home cooks who wanted to create a quick, filling meal using readily available ingredients. Unlike its counterpart, Alexandrian Hawawshi, which uses a special dough, Hawawshi Baladi is made with regular pita bread, making it accessible and easy to prepare. It is served with the baladi salad or the green salad, as well as with tahini.
Why You’ll Love Hawawshi:
- Versatile Meal: Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Customizable: Adjust the spice level and cheese to your liking.
- Easy to Make: With common ingredients and straightforward steps.
Ingredients Needed For Crisp Hawawshi
- 1 kg minced meat – Half can be lamb for extra flavor.
- 4 onions – Chop the onions in a similar size.
- Pita breads – This recipe uses 6 breads total.
- Mozzarella cheese – optional, as desired.
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 green hot peppers, chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp sweet red pepper paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Hawawshi spices (or any Arabic spice blend)
- ½ tsp Chinese kibbeh spice
- 3 tbsp ghee or oil
How To Make Crispy Hawawshi
- Prepare the vegetables and spices. In a large bowl, combine onions, garlic, green peppers, parsley, and spices.
- Prepare the mince. Add the minced meat and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
- Form the Hawawshi. Form the meat mixture into balls (around 150 grams each). Carefully open the pita bread and stuff them with the meatballs, flattening them slightly. Add mozzarella cheese if desired.
- Cook the Hawawshi. Brush the stuffed pitas with ghee or oil. Cook in a preheated frying pan, pressing down for a crispy finish, for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Serve and enjoy. Cut into quarters and serve hot with a side of tahini, salad, or French fries.
Serving Suggestions For Hawawshi
Hawawshi is a complete meal, but if you wish, you can add it with French fries and soda water. You don’t need to add much to the street food sandwich to enjoy it. Hawawshi is a meal that is suitable for all meals because it contains almost everything you may need in a meal, but if you want to eat hawawshi like the Egyptians, it is eaten for dinner
Tips for the Perfect Hawawshi Recipe:
- Use fatty meat like chuck for a juicier filling.
- Don’t overstuff the pita to ensure it cooks evenly.
- For an extra kick, serve with a spicy dip or pickles.
Egyptian Hawawshi Baladi
Equipment
- cooking pan
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 kilo minced meat I used half the amount of lamb
- 4 onions chopped
- 6 Pita bread
- 1 Mozzarella cheese as desired
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 Green hot pepper chopped
- 1 parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons sweet red pepper paste
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 A large spoonful of Hawawshi spices Or arabic spices if you couldn't find Hawawshi spices
- Half teaspoon Chinese kibbeh
- 3 tablespoons oilghee
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the onions and spices. Mix the spices well with the onions, and add the chopped hot pepper, red pepper paste and parsley. Stir the mixture well and set to the side.
- Add the meat to the spice mixture and mix until the spices and onions are fully combined into the meat
- Shape the meat into balls, making each meatball about 150 grams in size.
- Open the pita bread and roll out the meatballs in the inside of the bread. Top with mozzarella cheese if you are using.
- Grease the hawawshi with a little ghee or oil.
- In a pre-heated frying pan, put the hawawshi and press it down. By pressing it down, this will ensure the meat spreads out and the pita bread will have an even crisp.
- The hawawshi will begin to crisp up about two to three minutes into cooking. Cook until the pita is golden brown and crispy.
- Divide the hawawshi loaf into four parts and place on a serving plate. Enjoy while still warm.
