Israeli Roast Eggplant, Hummus, and Pickle Pitas

INGREDIENTS

1 large baking potato

Salt

1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large jalapeño, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

4 thick, sturdy pita breads, warmed

1 cup hummus

1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature

4 large hard-cooked eggs, sliced

4 small dill pickles, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small saucepan, cover the potato with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool, then peel the potato and slice it 1/4 inch thick. Season the potato slices with salt.

Meanwhile, arrange the eggplant slices on a rimmed baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and bake for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

In a large bowl, add the cucumber, tomato, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro and parsley. Toss with the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut off 2 inches from the side of the warm pitas to make openings in the pockets. Gently open the pitas. Spread the hummus on the bottoms and 1 tablespoon of tahini over it. Layer the potato slices, eggplant, egg and cucumber-tomato salad in the pitas, along with some of the salad juices. Top with the pickle slices and serve.

COMMENTS

Recipe found in Food & Wine's July 2012 Issue, posted with the following comments:

At Butcher & Bee in Charleston, S.C., owner Michael Shemtov and chef Stuart Tracy prepare this messy, incredibly tasty vegetarian sandwich, called a sabich, with vegetables, hummus, house-baked pita and herbs from a garden right behind the restaurant. “The sandwich is Iraqi-Israeli, just like me,” Shemtov says. “It’s a personal dish.”