Crispy Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pita - Arayes
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4.99 out of 5 stars
(68)
Ingredients
10 servings
- 5 pita bread (, the thin pocket type, ~15cm/6" diameter (250g/8oz pack), cut in half (Note 1)
- Olive oil spray (or brush with olive oil)
- 1/2 brown onion
- 500g/ 1 lb lamb or beef mince (ground meat) (Note 2)
- 2 garlic cloves (, finely grated)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (, optional)
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub plain paprika)
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice (sub mixed spice)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce/omit for less spicy - Note 4)
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini (or Chinese sesame paste - Note 5)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove (, finely grated)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
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Preparation
Step 1
Spiced meat filling:
Step 2
Grate the onion in a bowl using a standard box grater. We want the juices and all! (Note 4)
Step 3
Meat filling - Add remaining meat filling ingredients. Mix well with your hands.
Step 4
Divide stuffing in 10 (about 55 to 60g per portion, 1/4 cup). Flatten into a semi-circle shape slightly smaller than the pita bread half.
Step 5
Stuff - Gently open a pita then place the meat inside. Close, then press to spread to the edge and make it fairly evenly flat. (Is your pita tearing? See Note 5 for tip!)
Step 6
Cooking Arayes:
Step 7
Preheat oven to 50C/120F. Place a rack on a tray. (To keep cooked Arayes warm.)
Step 8
Cook - Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Spray both sides of the pita with olive oil then place 2 or 3 pieces in the pan (whatever you can fit). Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until golden and crispy. The meat is spread so thin it cooks really quickly! {Sandwich press - Note 7}
Step 9
Keep warm - Transfer cooked Arayes onto the rack and put in the oven to keep warm. Cook remaining pita.
Step 10
Serve - Cut in half if desired (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't!). Pile Arayes onto a serving platter. Serve with Whipped Tahini sauce. Enjoy!
Step 11
Whipped tahini sauce:
Step 12
Place ingredients in a heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Microwave for 15 seconds on high. Whisk again - it should resemble soft whipped cream. Use slightly warm or at room temperature.
Step 13
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