Eish baladi

Eish baladi (Egyptian Arabic: عيش بلدى) is a traditional Egyptian flatbread and is one of the oldest and most enduring staples in the country’s culinary history. It is renowned for its ubiquity and significance in Egyptian culture. As the most popular type of bread in Egypt, it has formed the backbone of Egyptian cuisine since ancient Egypt. Its widespread presence is also reflected in everyday urban scenes, such as in Cairo, where vendors are often seen cycling through traffic while balancing baskets containing numerous loaves of eish baladi.

The bread is a yeasted, pocket-style product distinguished by a wheat bran-rich crust. High baking temperatures cause the yeast-generated gas to expand rapidly when flat discs of dough are placed on hot stone oven floors, forcing the dough to form numerous bubbles that merge into one large pocket before setting.

Eish baladi is versatile in its culinary applications. Freshly baked, it is ideal for sandwiches, allowing for a variety of fillings. When torn by hand, it serves as an excellent accompaniment to dips and stews. Additionally, toasted or fried pieces of eish baladi can enhance soups, salads, or the traditional Egyptian dish known as fatta.