Israeli snack
Sabich: What’s in the trendy sandwich from Israel?
The vegetarian sandwich Sabich is one of the most popular snack dishes in Israel.
© Hadasit/Shutterstock
In Israel, Sabich is one of the most popular to-go foods alongside falafel, and the sandwich specialty is also on the rise in Germany. We reveal what’s in the pita and how you can prepare the vegetarian snack yourself.
Sabich is on everyone’s lips in the streets of Tel Aviv. Whether directly for breakfast or as a Snack in between, the sandwich is about to overtake its big sister falafel in terms of popularity. Filled with boiled eggs, fried eggplant, hummus, pickles and Zhug seasoning sauce, the pita specialty has become a star among breakfast snacks.
As always, there are various myths and legends surrounding the food genius who first brought the ingredients together so masterfully. One of these stories is that of Jewish refugee Sabich Tsvi Halabi from Iraq. He is said to have been the first to bring the breakfast sandwich to the people in Tel Aviv, thereby creating Arab-Israeli competition for the popular falafel.
Make your own Sabich: The shopping list
It’s just a sandwich, but one of the master class. And because a variety of ingredients contribute to the taste experience, the Sabich doesn’t take two minutes to prepare – after all, the filling is rounded off by a duet of sauces. You need the following ingredients for four servings.
For the filling
2 small eggplants
4 eggs (size M)
2 mini cucumbers
200 g cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
6 stalks of coriander greens
Salt
For the sauce
100 g tahini (sesame paste)
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ ground cumin
salt and pepper
For the Zhug
½ bunch of parsley
1 bunch of coriander greens
½ green chili pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 pinch of ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Also olive oil for frying and 4 pita breads
The preparation
The filling begins: wash the eggplants, dry them, halve them lengthwise and cut them into slices about a centimeter thick. Sprinkle with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. During this time, boil the eggs hard for about ten minutes, rinse with cold water, peel and cut into sixths.
Wash cucumbers and tomatoes and cut into cubes. Also clean the spring onions and cut them into thin rings. Wash the coriander greens and drain on a kitchen towel. Tear the leaves from the stems and mix with the cucumbers, tomatoes and spring onions in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let it steep for about 20 minutes.
Mix tahini, lemon juice, cumin and about 70 milliliters of water into a creamy sauce, season with salt and pepper. For the Zhug, wash and dry the herbs. Roughly chop the leaves. Wash the chili pepper, halve it, remove the seeds and chop roughly like the garlic. Then finely puree the herbs, chili and garlic with the spices and oil and season with lemon juice and salt.
Dab the eggplant slices with kitchen paper and fry them in batches in a little olive oil on both sides until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and place on kitchen paper to drain the oil. Cut a pocket into the pita bread and add a spoonful or two of tahini sauce, depending on your taste. Fill the bread with eggplant slices, eggs and lettuce and add the Zhug as a topping.