Levantine cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Arayes (Ground Meat Pita)

Pita pockets stuffed with spiced ground lamb and parsley, grilled until crisp and served with a yogurt-tahini dip.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400g ground lamb
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 pita breads
• 200g yogurt
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic, finely cut the parsley, and knead both thoroughly into the ground lamb with allspice, paprika, 1 tsp salt, and pepper.
2. Slit the pita breads open along the edge and spread the meat mixture thinly and evenly inside – no more than 1cm thick, or it won't cook through.
3. Brush the outside of the filled pockets thinly with olive oil and press flat lightly with your palm.
4. For the dip, stir yogurt, tahini, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt smooth, and thin to a thick consistency with 1–2 tbsp water.
5. Grill the arayes on a grill or grill pan over medium heat for 5–6 min. per side until the bread shows dark grill marks and meat juices seep out.
6. Cut into triangles and serve hot with the yogurt-tahini dip and wedges of the remaining lemon half.