Fricassée roll fillings
Filling the fricassée sandwich is an art all of its own. Like the sabich (eggplant, egg, parsley, tahini and lemon) and the falafel pitta (falafel, salad, tahini and pickles), this satisfying sandwich is a popular street snack, intended to sustain you during the long day ahead. There are two fillings here: first the traditional tuna, and a slightly lighter one using an excellent little trick for preparing egg salad. Do try the egg filling; it may sound simple and a bit ordinary, but that is deceptive, as it is pure genius. I owe the method to the mum of my best friend at high school, Liat.
Tuna filling
Makes enough to fill 6 sandwiches
6 fricassée rolls (here)
2 tins of tuna in oil, drained
6 tsp harissa paste
3 tbsp preserved lemons, chopped and seeds removed
2 tbsp capers
To top
6 hard-boiled eggs (see recipe below if you need guidance), peeled and quartered
a handful of pitted green olives
1 bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
flaky sea salt
Mix the tuna, harissa, preserved lemons and capers in a bowl. Cut the rolls in half and divide the tuna mixture between them. Top each heap of tuna with an egg, some olives, parsley leaves, and a couple of pieces of tomato. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and devour.
Egg salad filling
Makes enough to fill 6 sandwiches
The rich eggs, crunchy bread and fresh cucumber work together like a dream in this.
6 fricassée rolls (here)
12 eggs
1 small bunch of dill, fronds chopped
3 tbsp grapeseed oil (or another mild-flavored vegetable oil)
a generous pinch of table salt
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
3 small Lebanese cucumbers (or 1 large cucumber), peeled in thin ribbons
flaky sea salt
Place the eggs in a saucepan large enough to contain them comfortably, add 2 teaspoons of table salt and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to sit in the hot water for 4 minutes, then rinse with cold water and peel.
Grate the eggs on a coarse grater (this is easier than it sounds—just pretend they are carrots) and place in a bowl. Add the dill, oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Slice the rolls in half and fill each with some egg salad, topped with cucumber ribbons. Sprinkle on a touch of sea salt and eat.
Leek & goats’ cheese pie
Makes a large rectangular pie (8 inch × 12 inch or thereabouts)
A loose-bottomed tin is best for this
They say real men don’t eat quiche but this does not apply to Itamar. He is not one to let gender bias keep him away from the good stuff. Quiche is a French dish and has nothing to do with Middle Eastern food, aside from the fact that this recipe combines versions from our two favorite cafés in Tel Aviv.
For the pastry
200g all-purpose flour
100g cold unsalted butter, diced
30g full fat cream cheese
20g kashkaval or pecorino cheese, grated
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
a pinch of table salt
For the filling
2 small leeks (about 400g raw should result in about 250g cooked)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
20g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
a pinch of table salt
a pinch of pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
For the topping
2 eggs
200g/ml heavy cream
½ tsp table salt
a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper
150g goats’ cheese
I make the pastry in a food processor with either the metal blade or the plastic blade attachment (you can also make it by hand, but try not to overwork it as you want a lovely short texture). Place the ingredients in the processor and pulse until they come together in a rough ball. Flatten the pastry slightly and wrap it in cling film. Chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 48 hours).
Slice the leeks thinly and wash well to get rid of any grit. I usually submerge them in cold water for 10 minutes, then shake them about and lift them out, rather than drain, so the dirt stays in the bowl. Sauté the leeks in a frying pan over a medium-low heat with the garlic, butter, oil, salt, pepper and thyme for about 10–15 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool, then remove the thyme.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/375°F convection. Lightly flour the workbench and roll the pastry to a large rectangle of about 14 inches × 10 inches. Line the tin with the pastry, allowing a little overhang to avoid shrinkage (this will also help you fill the pie as fully as possible without the mixture spilling out). Set in the fridge for 15–30 minutes.
Cover the chilled pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, rice or any beans/pulses that you have lurking at the back of the cupboard and will never use. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove. Carefully lift off the baking beans and parchment.
Mix the eggs with the heavy cream, salt and black pepper. Place the leeks in a layer covering the bottom of the pie base. Slice or crumble the goats’ cheese and distribute it over the leeks so that every slice will get some, then top with the egg mixture.
Reduce the oven to 350°F/325°F convection and place the pie tin in the center. Bake for about 25–30 minutes until the pastry at the edges is lovely and golden and the filling is set when you shake the tray slightly, turning it around halfway through to make sure it gets a nice even color. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20–30 minutes.
Trim any excess pastry from the rim of the tin and carefully push the base up to release. Serve warm or cold, as you prefer. It really needs nothing else, but if you are feeling virtuous, serve with a fresh green salad.