Hawawshi
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 1 cup onion – finely chopped (~1 medium onion)
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper – finely chopped (~0.5 medium green bell peppers)
- 1 each green chili pepper – finely chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato – seeded and finely chopped (~1 medium tomato)
- 1/4 cup parsley – finely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 each pita bread – pocket-style
- lemon – cut into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle; line a large baking sheet with parchment.
2. Finely chop the onion, green bell pepper, green chili pepper, tomato, and parsley; mince the garlic.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper. Drizzle in 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil and add all the chopped mixture. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—do not overwork.
4. Warm the pita bread briefly to soften (10–15 seconds in the microwave or in a low oven). Cut a small opening along one edge and open each pocket. Divide the filling into 6 portions and stuff each pita, pressing the mixture into a thin, even layer that reaches the edges.
5. Brush both sides of the stuffed pitas with the remaining vegetable oil and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake until the bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Flip and continue baking until the bread is deep golden and crisp and the meat is cooked through (juices run clear or 160°F/71°C in the center), 10–15 minutes more.
7. Rest 5 minutes to set juices. Slice and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Hawawshi is a beloved Egyptian street favorite: spiced minced meat pressed thin inside pocket bread and baked until the exterior turns shatteringly crisp while the filling stays juicy. The flavor leans warm and savory, driven by cumin and coriander with a hint of heat from fresh chili and lift from parsley and onion. It’s hearty, handheld, and deeply aromatic, making it equally at home as a quick meal, a party spread, or a comforting family dinner.
Its story is rooted in mid- to late-20th-century Egypt, where the technique of stuffing seasoned meat into baladi bread became a sensation in Cairo and Alexandria. Many Egyptians associate the name with a Cairo vendor who popularized the sandwich in the 1970s, and the style bears kinship to Levantine arayes while maintaining a distinctly Egyptian spice profile and bread. Today, hawawshi is sold in bakeries, butcher shops, and carts across the country, a staple of casual eating that showcases local bread and spice traditions.