Sabich: the sandwich Mallorca hasn't met yet

Everyone knows falafel. Almost nobody outside the Levant knows sabich, and that is a shame, because sabich might be the best thing you can put inside a pita.

What is sabich?

Sabich is an Iraqi-Jewish dish that grew up in Tel Aviv. Fried eggplant, sliced egg, hummus and tahini, chopped salad, and pickles, all layered in warm pita. It began as the Shabbat morning breakfast of Iraqi Jews, made from things prepared the day before, and became one of Israel's great street foods. Where falafel is crisp and hot, sabich is soft, rich and cool, the eggplant doing the work the chickpea does elsewhere.

The layers, and why the order matters

A proper sabich is built, not filled. Tahini or hummus first, so every bite ends on sesame. Then the eggplant, fried until it gives up completely, soft enough to spread. Then the egg. Then chopped salad for crunch and acid, and pickles to cut the richness. Every layer answers the one below it. Built in the wrong order, the pita collapses. Built right, it is the most complete sandwich there is.

Make it at home

Serves 2. You need: 1 large eggplant, sliced into rounds; salt; olive oil or neutral oil for frying; 2 eggs, hard-boiled; 2 warm pitas; hummus and tahini; a chopped salad of tomato and cucumber with lemon and salt; pickles, and amba (special mango sauce that makes all the difference) if you can find it.

1. Salt the eggplant slices and rest them for 30 minutes. Pat dry.

2. Fry the slices in hot oil until deep golden and completely soft, then drain well (very important ).

3. Warm the pitas. Spread hummus inside, layer the eggplant, then the sliced egg.

4. Add the chopped salad and pickles. Finish with tahini and amba.

5. Eat immediately, leaning forward. This is not optional.

The Deli way

At Deli Santa Maria, we serve the sabich the way it should be: eggplant fried to order, tahini made from scratch the same day, warm pita, and the salad cut fresh. You can also get a plate option if you like.

It sits on the menu beside the falafel, and choosing between them is the hardest decision in Santa Maria del Cami. We think it is the best sabich Mallorca has to offer.

Walk in, or message us on WhatsApp: +34 628 00 80 66

See everything we make fresh: deli-caffe.com/menu