Sabich-Style Breakfast Pita with Eggplant, Egg and Amba

Name: Sabich-Style Breakfast Pita with Eggplant, Egg and Amba
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Iraqi
Ingredients: 2 medium (about 1½ lb total) (700 g) globe eggplants, stem trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds, skin left on; 1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for salting the slices (Diamond Crystal; use half if using fine salt); ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola, divided, added as needed during frying; 4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge; ½ cup (120 g) pure tahini, stirred well in the jar before measuring; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated or minced to a paste; ⅓ cup (80 ml) ice-cold water, plus more by the tablespoon if needed; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 2 small (150 g) Persian cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 medium (260 g) ripe tomatoes, cored, seeds scooped out, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; ¼ small (35 g) red onion, very finely diced; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt, plus a pinch of black pepper if you like; 4 whole (240 g) pita breads with pockets, about 6½ inches (17 cm), at room temperature; 4 tbsp (60 ml) mango amba, stirred; thin with a teaspoon of water if very thick; zhug or hot sauce, to taste, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden pan-fried eggplant slices, jammy-firm hard-boiled egg, lemony tahini, tangy mango amba and a crisp Israeli salad, all tucked into warm pita. It is the classic Iraqi-Israeli breakfast sandwich, made in one skillet at home.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 31 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 38 min
Makes: 4 stuffed pitas

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the eggplant
2 medium (about 1½ lb total) (700 g) globe eggplants, stem trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds, skin left on
1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt, for salting the slices (Diamond Crystal; use half if using fine salt)
½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola, divided, added as needed during frying
For the eggs
4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge
For the tahini sauce
½ cup (120 g) pure tahini, stirred well in the jar before measuring
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated or minced to a paste
⅓ cup (80 ml) ice-cold water, plus more by the tablespoon if needed
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
For the Israeli salad
2 small (150 g) Persian cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 medium (260 g) ripe tomatoes, cored, seeds scooped out, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
¼ small (35 g) red onion, very finely diced
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt, plus a pinch of black pepper if you like
To assemble
4 whole (240 g) pita breads with pockets, about 6½ inches (17 cm), at room temperature
4 tbsp (60 ml) mango amba, stirred; thin with a teaspoon of water if very thick
zhug or hot sauce, to taste, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, nonstick or cast iron
Medium saucepan (2–3 quart / 2–3 L)
Large bowl of ice water
Colander
Small bowl and whisk for the tahini sauce
Paper towels and a large plate
Sharp knife and cutting board
Tongs or a thin spatula

Steps

Before you start

Eggplant needs 30 minutes of salting, so start there and make the eggs, sauce and salad while it sits.
Buy jarred mango amba (Middle Eastern or Israeli grocery, or online); it is a pickled mango condiment and is not the same as mango chutney.
Use pitas with a pocket, about 6½ inches (17 cm) across, and fresh enough to open without tearing.
Have a large plate lined with paper towels ready for draining the fried eggplant.

1
Salt the eggplant
- Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer in a colander set over a plate or in the sink, working in layers if needed.
- Sprinkle both sides with the kosher salt (1 tablespoon total).
- Let sit 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Beads of liquid cover the surface and the slices look slightly glossy and softened
Tip: Don't skip this: unsalted eggplant soaks up much more oil.
2
Boil the eggs
- While the eggplant sits, put the cold eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Bring to a full boil over high heat, then immediately turn the heat to medium-low so the water stays at a gentle bubble.
- Set a timer and cook 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Timer goes off at 10 minutes; yolks will be fully set but not chalky (160°F / 71°C or higher)
Tip: Start a timer once the water is at a gentle bubble. A hard rolling boil cracks shells.
3
Cool and peel eggs
- Use a slotted spoon to move the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
- Cool 5 minutes.
- Tap each egg all over on the counter, then peel under a thin stream of cool water.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Eggs feel cold to the touch and the shell slips off in large pieces
4
Whisk tahini sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, grated garlic and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- It will seize into a thick paste; that is normal.
- Whisk in the ice-cold water, a little at a time, until smooth, pale and pourable like thick pancake batter.
- Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon.
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Ready when: Sauce is creamy, light beige and falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon
Tip: Add water slowly. The sauce looks broken at first, then smooths out.
5
Toss Israeli salad
- In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and parsley.
- Just before serving, add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and a pinch of pepper if using.
- Toss and taste.
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Ready when: Vegetables are evenly coated and glisten but there is little liquid pooling in the bowl
Tip: Dress it only at the last minute, or the salad turns watery and soggy the pita.
6
Rinse and dry eggplant
- Quickly rinse the eggplant slices under cold water to remove excess salt.
- Lay them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, cover with more towels and press firmly to blot as dry as possible.
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Ready when: Slices feel damp, not wet, and no water squeezes out when pressed
Tip: Wet slices spatter in the hot oil, so dry them well.
7
Fry eggplant in batches
- Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add as many slices as fit in one layer without touching (about 6–7).
- Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once.
- Transfer to the paper-towel-lined plate.
- Repeat in 2 more batches, adding about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil to the pan before each batch, and reduce heat to medium if the slices brown too fast.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown and a knife slides into the center with no resistance
Tip: Don't crowd the pan. Overlapping slices steam and turn gray instead of browning. Pat the finished slices with paper towels to blot off surface oil.
8
Warm the pitas
- Wipe out the skillet and heat over medium heat.
- Warm each pita 30 seconds per side, until soft, pliable and slightly puffed.
- Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
- Then cut off the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of each pita, or slit along one side, to open the pocket.
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Ready when: Pita is hot, flexible and opens without cracking
Tip: Don't toast them crisp, or they'll crack when you fold them around the fillings.
9
Slice the eggs
- Cut each peeled egg into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds or wedges.
- Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt if you like.
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Ready when: Slices hold together with bright yellow, fully set yolks
10
Assemble and serve
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of tahini sauce inside each pita and swirl it around the walls.
- Layer in 4 to 5 eggplant slices, a sliced egg, and a generous scoop of Israeli salad.
- Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon amba and another spoonful of tahini sauce, and add zhug if you want heat.
- Serve right away with napkins and extra sauce on the side.
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Ready when: Pita is generously filled with layered colors and sauce dripping slightly at the edges
Tip: Build in this order (sauce, eggplant, egg, salad, amba) so the pita stays sturdy and the salad doesn't wet the bread.

Good to know

Tips

Use cold tahini sauce water; ice water gives the lightest, creamiest sauce.
Cut the salad vegetables small and even so they tuck neatly into the pita instead of falling out.
Eggplant fries best in a pan that is hot but not smoking. If slices brown before they soften, lower the heat slightly and cook a minute longer.
Taste the amba first: brands vary from mild to sharp, so adjust the amount to your liking.

Make ahead

"Fry the eggplant, boil and peel the eggs, and make the tahini sauce up to 2 days ahead. Store each separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Bring the eggplant to room temperature or rewarm in a skillet for 1 minute per side. Chop the salad ingredients up to 4 hours ahead, but dress at the last minute."

Storage & reheating

Assembled pitas are best eaten right away. Store components separately: fried eggplant, peeled eggs and tahini sauce keep in airtight containers in the fridge up to 3 days (eggs in their own container). Stir the tahini sauce and loosen with a splash of cold water before using. Dressed salad keeps only about 2 hours at room temperature. Fried eggplant can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge and rewarm in a skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes per side. Do not freeze the eggs or salad.

Substitutions

mango amba → 1 tbsp mango chutney mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice and ¼ tsp ground turmeric. Sweeter and less sour than real amba, but gives a similar tangy, fruity hit.
pita breads with pockets, about 6½ inches (17 cm) → Laffa or flour tortillas. Fold them wrap-style around the fillings; warm briefly so they don't tear.
neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola → Brush slices with oil and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes, flipping once. Uses less oil and less attention, with a slightly drier, chewier texture.
Persian cucumbers → ½ English cucumber, seeded. Use if Persian cucumbers aren't available; seed it so the salad stays crisp.