Name: Sabich-Style Eggplant and Egg Sandwiches
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound eggplant , sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds; Salt and pepper; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 8 ounces cherry tomatoes , quartered; ½ cup finely chopped dill pickles; ¼ cup finely chopped red onion; ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 garlic clove , minced; 4 (8-inch) pita breads; 1 cup hummus; 6 hard-cooked large egg , sliced thin; ½ cup recipe; ½ cup recipe; 1 teaspoon ground dried Aleppo pepper

Why This Recipe Works

To create an appealing version that could be made at home, we started with the eggplant. Although it's traditionally fried, a few tests revealed that tasters preferred the flavor and texture of broiled eggplant. Salting the eggplant for 30 minutes before broiling helped to eliminate excess moisture and encourage deep, flavorful browning. Chopped dill pickles offered great briny flavor, and cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley provided bright, fresh notes. Sabich is often eaten as a sandwich, but we decided to lay the pitas flat and pile everything on top to create a beautiful presentation and make the dish easier to eat. Cutting our hard-cooked eggs into thin slices (as opposed to wedges) worked best, since the flat slices could easily be layered with the other ingredients. Finishing our open-faced sandwiches with a drizzle of our tangy Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and spicy zhoug, an Israeli hot sauce made with cilantro and parsley, brought all the elements together.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use our homemade Pita Bread and Classic Hummus, but you can use store-bought varieties. If you can't find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon paprika and ¼ teaspoon finely chopped red pepper flakes.

Instructions

Spread eggplant on baking sheet lined with paper towels, sprinkle both sides with 2 teaspoons salt, and let sit for 30 minutes.

Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Thoroughly pat eggplant dry with paper towels, arrange on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet in single layer, and lightly brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Broil eggplant until spotty brown, about 5 minutes per side.

Combine tomatoes, pickles, onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay each pita on individual plate, spread with ¼ cup hummus, and top evenly with eggplant, tomato salad, and eggs. Drizzle with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and Green Zhoug and sprinkle with Aleppo. Serve immediately.