Egyptian Hawawshi
Spiced beef with onion, green bell pepper, tomato, garlic and parsley, baked in baladi bread. Ready in about 45 minutes and serves 4.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 500 g
- 3 cloves
- 15 g
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 2 tbsp
Process
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Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine minced beef, grated onion, chopped green bell pepper, chopped tomato, minced garlic, chopped parsley, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands until evenly blended.
Open each baladi bread carefully to create a pocket. Divide the meat mixture equally among the breads, spreading it thinly and evenly inside each pocket. Do not overfill; the meat should be about 1 cm thick.
Press the edges of the bread together to seal. Brush both sides of each filled bread with olive oil.
Place the filled breads on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip carefully and bake for another 10 minutes, until the bread is crisp and golden and the meat is cooked through.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is overfilling the bread, which makes it soggy and prevents the meat from cooking evenly. Keep the filling thin.
- Squeeze excess moisture from the grated onion and chopped tomato with a clean towel to avoid a wet filling that steams the bread instead of crisping it.
- For extra crispness, bake on a preheated pizza stone or a heavy baking sheet. The bread should sound hollow when tapped when done.
- If you cannot find baladi bread, use large pita pockets and seal the edges with a little beaten egg or a skewer.
Substitutions
- minced beef→minced lamb or a mix of beef and lamb
- baladi bread→large pita bread or flatbread
- olive oil→any neutral oil for brushing
Storage & reheating
Store leftover hawawshi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8-10 minutes until hot and crisp. Avoid microwaving as it makes the bread soggy. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 200°C for 15-20 minutes.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my hawawshi soggy?
Sogginess usually comes from excess moisture in the filling or not sealing the bread properly. Grate the onion and squeeze out its liquid, deseed the tomato, and avoid overfilling. Also, make sure the oven is fully preheated and the bread is brushed with oil on both sides to help it crisp.
Can I make hawawshi ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the filled breads up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Bake them straight from the fridge, adding 3-5 minutes to the baking time. This is great for parties or meal prep.
What is the best bread for hawawshi?
Traditional hawawshi uses Egyptian baladi bread, a whole wheat flatbread with a pocket. If unavailable, large pita pockets or any sturdy flatbread that can hold the filling works well. Avoid thin wraps that tear easily.
How do I know when hawawshi is fully cooked?
The bread should be golden and crisp, and the meat inside should be cooked through with no pink color. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the filling should read at least 71°C. Also, the juices should run clear.
Can I use chicken instead of beef?
Yes, minced chicken works, but it is leaner so add a tablespoon of olive oil to the filling to keep it moist. Adjust cooking time: chicken may need 5 minutes less. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C.
Can I freeze hawawshi?
Yes, freeze baked or unbaked hawawshi individually wrapped in foil or plastic, then in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake unbaked from frozen at 200°C for 25-30 minutes; reheat baked at 180°C for 15 minutes.
How spicy is hawawshi?
Traditional hawawshi is mildly spiced, not hot. The warmth comes from black pepper and spices like cumin and cinnamon. If you want heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chopped chili to the meat mixture.
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