Hawawshi (Egyptian Stuffed Pita)

We use pita in this recipe because baladi may not be available and can be a bit tricky to make at home.

Prepare the vegetables

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse vegetables under cool running water. Dice the tomato, bell pepper and onion. Place all cut veggies in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Grind the spices

Using a mortar and pestle, grind coriander seeds.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the following:
allspice
coriander
red chili pepper
black pepper
salt

Whisk the spices to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl, place the ground beef, and mix in the spices. Add the diced veggies and stir to combine.

Split open the pita and brush inside with olive oil, ghee or melted butter. Scoop the beef mixture and stuff it into your pita, creating a meat layer about ¼ inch thick.

Brush the outsides of your pita with the oil, ghee or butter and then wrap each pita in parchment paper or foil.

Cook the hawawshi

Place the wrapped hawawshi packets on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

(OPTIONAL STEPS)

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high.

Carefully remove your hawawshi from the foil or parchment and place on the heated griddle. Cook over medium-high for 2 – 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat when the pita is golden brown and crispy on both sides.

Serve hot with a bit of salad, hummus and tahini sauce, or eat it all by itself.