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Loading...A beloved Alexandria street-food classic, this sandwich stuffs thinly sliced calf liver into warm Egyptian bread with a sizzling spice bloom of cumin, coriander, garlic, and chilies. It is smoky, peppery, juicy, and finished with tahini and pickled green peppers for bright, sharp contrast.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings4
Yield4 stuffed sandwiches
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 540 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 6 gSaturated Fat
- 48 gCarbs
- 6 gFiber
- 7 gSugar
- 34 gProtein
- 890 mgSodium
- 720 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 11 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 7800 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the liver filling
- 500 g calf liver, sliced 4 mm thick and trimmed of veins
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 fresh green chilies, finely chopped (seeds in for extra heat)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice
For the tahini sauce
- 1/3 cup tahini, stirred
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 3 to 4 tbsp cold water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For assembling
- 4 Egyptian baladi loaves or 2 crusty baguettes, sliced open
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 pickled green chilies or pepperoncini
- Fresh parsley leaves, optional
Directions
- Pat the liver slices completely dry with paper towels, then cut into 3 cm pieces. Toss with vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, and cayenne; set aside for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and water in a bowl until smooth and pourable; loosen with more water if too thick. Set aside.
- Heat oil and butter in a wide skillet over high heat until the butter foams. Add the chopped red onion and a pinch of salt; saute 2 minutes until just softened.
- Add minced garlic and chopped green chilies and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Push the aromatics to one side of the pan.
- Add the marinated liver pieces in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed for 90 seconds so a deep crust forms, then flip and sear the second side for about 1 minute. They should remain just pink inside.
- Stir everything together, splash in 2 tablespoons of water, and cook 30 seconds more to make a glossy, lightly sauced filling. Taste and adjust salt and chili.
- Warm the bread in a hot oven or directly over a gas flame for 30 seconds per side so the interior steams.
- Spread a generous layer of tahini sauce on the bottom of each warm loaf. Layer with tomato slices, red onion, a heap of the hot liver, pickled chilies, and parsley.
- Press the top down, wrap the base in parchment or newspaper as street vendors do, and serve immediately while the bread is warm and the filling is piping hot.
Cook’s Notes
- Do not overcook the liver: aim for a browned crust and a faintly pink center, about 2 to 3 minutes total, or it will turn chalky and bitter.
- Trim the thin silver skin and tubes from the liver before slicing so the texture stays tender and the spices cling better.
- For an authentic Alexandria kick, use finely chopped fresh bird's eye chilies in the filling and pickled green chilies inside the bread.
- If you cannot find baladi bread, a small crusty baguette or pita warmed on a dry skillet makes an excellent substitute.
- Liver is extremely rich in vitamin A; pregnant women and small children should enjoy this in modest portions.
