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Sabich with chopped salad
Serves 2 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 large aubergine, peeled and cut in half widthways, then cut into 1cm-thick slices
- approx 500ml vegetable oil
- 2 pittas
- 6tbsp tahini
- 2tbsp amba (mango sauce)
- 2tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)
For the chopped salad
- 5 good-quality, ripe tomatoes, cut into 2–3mm dice
- 3 mini cucumbers (Turkish or Greek style), cut into 2–3mm dice
- ½ white onion, cut into 2–3mm dice
- 30g flat-leaf parsley, chopped, stalks discarded
- 15g fresh mint, chopped, stalks discarded
- 25ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 25ml lemon juice
Method
Put the eggs in a small pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then simmer for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool thoroughly under cold running water. Peel when cool.
Lay the aubergine slices in a single layer on a tray, then sprinkle with fine sea salt and set aside for 30 minutes until the slices have released some of their liquid. Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Put the tomatoes in a sieve or colander to drain the excess water. Combine with the other ingredients in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper, then mix gently together with a spoon.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat to 180C, then fry the aubergine slices in a single layer for 3–4 minutes on each side, in batches if necessary, until golden brown. Remove from the heat.
Make an approx. 5cm slit in the top of each pitta so you can open and fill it. Start with 2tbsp tahini spread evenly inside. Slice a hard-boiled egg and spread the slices out inside the pitta. Follow with a couple of slices of aubergine and some salad and continue until the pitta is full.
Repeat with the second pitta. Top both pittas with the remaining tahini, drizzle with amba and sprinkle chopped parsley over, if using, to serve.
This recipe featured in the October 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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