Hawawshi

Prepare the ingredients: finely chop one Onion, one Green Bell Pepper, one Tomato, a couple cloves of Garlic, and one Green Chili Pepper (deseed if you prefer less heat); roughly chop a handful of Flat-Leaf Parsley.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add about 1–2 tablespoons of Ghee. When it is hot, add the chopped Onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

Add the chopped Garlic, Green Chili Pepper, and Green Bell Pepper to the pan and cook until softened, another 3–4 minutes.

Increase the heat slightly and add the Minced Beef. Break it up with a spoon and brown thoroughly, cooking off the excess moisture.

Stir in a tablespoon of Tomato Paste and the chopped Tomato to give the filling body and a touch of acidity.

Season the mixture with 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon Baharat or to taste, 1 teaspoon Sweet Paprika, a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of Ground Cinnamon, and salt and Black Pepper to taste. Cook until the flavors meld and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5–8 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley. Let the filling cool slightly so it is easy to handle.

To assemble, open a Baladi Bread pocket or split it like a sandwich and generously fill with the meat mixture, or lay pieces of bread flat and sandwich the filling between two layers. Press the edges to seal.

Brush both sides of each filled bread with a little melted Ghee or oil and either: (a) bake on a sheet tray in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp, flipping once; or (b) pan-fry in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, 3–5 minutes per side, until browned and heated through.

Slice and serve the hawawshi hot with a squeeze of lemon if desired, and enjoy alongside a fresh salad or pickles.