Hawawshi

Hawawshi (Egyptian Stuffed Pita with Spiced Minced Beef)

A beloved Egyptian street-food sandwich: pita-style flatbread stuffed with a boldly spiced minced beef, onion and chilli filling, then baked until the bread is crisp and the juices soak into the crumb. Best eaten hot, straight from the oven.

Prep

25 min

Cook

25 min

Total

50 min

Serves

6 sandwiches

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) minced beef, around 15–20% fat for juicier filling
• •2 medium onions onion, very finely chopped or grated
• •1 small onion onion, for the spice paste, grated
• •2–3 fresh red chillies chilli, finely chopped, seeds in for more heat
• •4 cloves garlic, crushed
• •1 tbsp ground coriander
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp ground paprika, sweet or hot
• •ground cinnamon, ½
• •ground allspice or cloves, ½
• •black pepper, ½, freshly ground
• •1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• •1 tbsp tomato paste
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley, finely chopped
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh coriander, finely chopped
• •6 medium pita breads flatbread, Egyptian baladi-style pita if available; otherwise pocket pita. Note: traditional hawawshi uses a thicker, unleavened village bread, which is hard to find outside Egypt - pocket pita is the standard home substitute.
• •1 tbsp lemon juice, for serving, optional

Steps

1. 1 Make the filling: In a large bowl combine the minced beef, finely chopped onion, grated onion, chillies, garlic, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, salt, tomato paste, oil, parsley and coriander. Mix firmly with your hands for 2–3 minutes so the spices penetrate the meat and the mixture becomes slightly tacky. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (longer is better - up to overnight) so the flavours meld.
2. 2 Prepare the bread: Working one pita at a time, carefully split the top edge open with a small knife to create a pocket, keeping the bottom and sides intact. Do not cut all the way through.
3. 3 Stuff each pita: Spoon about 90–100 g (≈ ⅓ cup) of the filling into each pocket, pressing it flat and spreading it evenly from edge to edge. Press the filling firmly so there are no air pockets. Seal the opening by pressing the edges together.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C / 400°F fan). Line a large baking tray with parchment and brush it lightly with oil.
5. 5 Brush both sides of each stuffed pita with a thin layer of oil and place on the tray. For extra crispness, weigh each sandwich down lightly with another tray or a heavy pan.
6. 6 Bake for 12–15 minutes, then carefully flip each sandwich and bake a further 8–10 minutes, until the bread is deep golden and crisp and the beef is fully cooked. Doneness cue: the bread should be stiff and crackly, not soft; the meat at the thickest point must reach an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F with no pink juices.
7. 7 Alternatively, cook on a hot dry griddle or in a panini press for 3–4 minutes per side over medium heat, then finish in a hot oven for 5 minutes to confirm the centre is cooked through.
8. 8 Rest the sandwiches for 2–3 minutes so the juices redistribute into the bread. Cut each in half and serve hot, with a squeeze of lemon and extra fresh chilli on the side.