Main Courseby RobinImported from Instagram
Crispy pita pockets filled with a richly spiced ground beef mixture, served with a creamy garlic tahini yogurt sauce and a refreshing side salad. The arayes are charred to perfection on the outside and juicy within, offering a delightful blend of textures and aromatic flavours.
% GDA = share of an average adult's daily reference intake (2000 kcal). Values are estimates and may vary.
Preheat the oven to 190°C Ober-/Unterhitze and set out a baking sheet.
450gGround beef
100gYellow onion
5 cloveGarlic
20gJalapeño
2 tbspTomato paste
⅓ cupParsley
¼ cupCilantro
1 tbspOlive oil
1 tbspIce water
1¾ tspSalt
1¼ tspBlack pepper
2¼ tspGround cumin
2 tspPaprika
1 tspAllspice
1 tspGround coriander
1 tspGarlic powder
¼ tspGround cinnamonGrate 100g yellow onion and squeeze it dry, grate 5 clove garlic and 20g jalapeño, and finely chop ⅓ cup parsley and ¼ cup cilantro. In a large bowl, combine 450g ground beef, the grated Yellow onion, Garlic, and Jalapeño, 2 tbsp tomato paste, the chopped Parsley and Cilantro, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp ice water, 1¾ tsp salt, 1¼ tsp black pepper, 2¼ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon. Mix until fully combined and slightly sticky.
2 tbspOlive oil
4Pita breadCut 4 pita bread in half and gently open each pocket, warming them in the microwave for a few seconds first if needed to make them easier to open. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture inside each pita half, then generously brush the outside with 2 tbsp olive oil.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Working in 2 batches of about 4 minutes each, cook the arayes meat-side down first for 1–2 minutes until charred, then flip and cook each pita side until golden and crispy.
4 cloveGarlic3 tbspParsley2 tbspCilantro2 tbspOlive oil½ tspSalt¼ tspGround cumin
180mlGreek yogurt
60mlTahini
1Lemon
250gCucumber
300gTomatoes
50gRed onionTransfer the seared arayes to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 68°C (155°F). Meanwhile, finely grate 3 clove garlic, juice 1 lemon, and finely chop 2 tbsp parsley and 2 tbsp cilantro; whisk them in a medium bowl with 180ml greek yogurt, 60ml tahini, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground cumin until smooth. Finely mince 1 clove garlic and stir it with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp parsley for the brushing oil. Dice 250g cucumber and 300g tomatoes, thinly slice 50g red onion, and place them in a salad bowl.
2 tbspOlive oil¼ tspSalt¼ tspBlack pepperGreek yogurtCucumberTomatoesRed onion
1 tbspWhite wine vinegarDrizzle the Cucumber, Tomatoes, and Red onion with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, and toss to combine. Brush the hot arayes generously with the prepared Olive oil mixture and serve immediately with the Greek yogurt sauce for dipping and the fresh side salad.