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Beirute

Roast beef and egg pita sandwich

Beirute: São Paulo's toasted pita sandwich with roast beef, cheese and fried egg

The beirute was born in São Paulo's Lebanese-run lanchonetes and is now a late-night dinner order all over the city: a whole pita split, filled with thin roast beef, melting cheese, tomato, lettuce and a fried egg, toasted on the griddle and cut into wedges with a sprinkle of za'atar or oregano. The common mistake is overloading it with wet lettuce and tomato before toasting, which steams the bread soft; add them after. Chef's tip: toast the pita cut-side down in the pan first so the inside is crisp and keeps the juices out.
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
2
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Ingredients

Serves2

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Cut each of the 2 large pita breads breads around the edge to open it into two rounds. Toast them cut-side down in a large dry pan over a medium heat for 1 minute until crisp. Set aside.

    2 min
  2. Step 2: Melt ½ oz butter in the pan and fry 2 eggs for 3–4 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are firm, breaking the yolks if you like.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Lay 5 ½ oz cooked roast beef and 3 ½ oz mozzarella or prato cheese on the bottom halves, top with the eggs and the pita lids, and toast in the pan for 2 minutes a side, pressing down, until the cheese melts and the beef is hot.

    4 min
  4. Step 4: Open the top, tuck in 1 tomato and 4 lettuce leaves, sprinkle with 1 tsp za'atar or dried oregano, close and cut into 4 wedges.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
620 kcal
Protein
42 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
28 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does beirute take?
About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of eggs?
1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).

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