Chef Raz Rahav Reflects on Nostalgic School Lunch Sandwiches

As the new school year begins, Israeli chef Raz Rahav looks back at the evolution of the 'ten o'clock break' (Hafseket Eser) sandwich, a staple of Israeli childhood. While modern lunchboxes can resemble gourmet meals, Rahav emphasizes the enduring simplicity and emotional significance of the classic sandwich.

Rahav consulted his father, who prepared his school lunches, recalling a variety of fillings including Nutella, omelets, egg salad, tuna salad, hummus, and pickles. He particularly remembers hummus with pickles, a quick preparation his father made with salt, not vinegar. Rahav also fondly recalls Sunday lunches where his father would repurpose leftovers from Shabbat dinner, such as chicken skewers, into pita sandwiches, a practice he now sees as both resourceful and a symbol of familial care.

He contrasts these homemade sandwiches with the allure of cafeteria food, admitting to envying friends who bought hot schnitzel sandwiches. Rahav also critiques the trend of overly elaborate and branded lunchboxes, suggesting that while functional containers are necessary, the current extreme can be excessive and driven by parental projection.

Looking ahead, Rahav hopes to prepare his own children's lunches with care, ideally the night before to avoid morning rush. If he could choose just one sandwich for his future child, it would be egg salad, a simple, delicious, and nourishing option that his father used to make. The article includes a recipe for this classic egg salad sandwich, featuring hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a dill pickle, all served in a pita.

Rahav believes that the school sandwich represents home and family, carrying emotional weight and unique family traditions, and that the way it's made is less important than the sentiment behind it.