Hawawshi Alexandrian Style
Spiced ground beef folded into Egyptian flatbread and pan-fried until golden and crispy. A street-food favorite from Alexandria with bold, savory flavors and a satisfying crunch.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- 2 pieces flatbread (baladi or pita)
- ½ medium onion, yellow
- ½ medium tomato
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the onion on a cutting board, lay it flat, and slice it lengthwise from the root end to the tip into thin half-rings about the thickness of a dime.
- 2
Place the tomato on the board, slice it in half lengthwise, then lay each half flat and slice crosswise into pieces about 1/4-inch thick and roughly the size of dice.
- 3
Place the skillet over medium-high heat and wait until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately when flicked onto the surface, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Add the ground beef to the hot skillet and break it into small, pea-sized crumbles using a wooden spoon or your hands (if cool enough), stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- 5
Continue stirring until the meat no longer looks pink or wet on the surface and appears dry and crumbly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 6
Add the sliced onion to the cooked beef and stir continuously until the onion becomes soft and pale, about 2 minutes.
- 7
Sprinkle the cumin over the beef-and-onion mixture and stir for 30 seconds until the spice smell becomes strong and fragrant.
- 8
Add the diced tomato to the pan and stir gently until it is warmed through and any excess liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- 9
Taste the filling and add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, then stir to distribute evenly throughout the beef mixture.
- 10
Lay one flatbread on a clean, dry surface and spoon half of the beef filling in a line down the center, leaving about 1 inch of bread uncovered on both sides.
- 11
Fold one long side of the flatbread over the filling so the edge meets or slightly overlaps the opposite edge, creating a long envelope.
- 12
Fold the short ends of the flatbread inward toward the center, pressing gently so they stay in place and the filling does not leak out.
- 13
Repeat steps 10–12 with the second flatbread and remaining beef filling to make a second parcel.
- 14
Reduce the heat to medium and place the first wrapped hawawshi seam-side down in the same skillet.
- 15
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving it until the bottom is golden brown and crispy like a toasted bread crust.
- 16
Using a wide spatula or two forks, carefully flip the hawawshi over and cook the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes until it is equally golden brown.
- 17
Transfer the first cooked hawawshi to a cutting board and repeat steps 14–16 with the second parcel in the same skillet.
- 18
Cut each hawawshi in half diagonally and serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- 12-inch skillet or frying pan
- wooden spoon
- wide spatula or two forks
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