arayes with pickly yogurt dip
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 2-4
Protein
1 lb ground beef
Milk & Dairy
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup plain skyr/greek yogurt
Pantry
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp harissa paste
4 thick pitas
2 pickles
2 tbsp pickle brine
Produce
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup minced parsley
Make your meat filling. Into a large bowl, grate 1/2 red onion, you want all the juices here so grate it directly into the bowl. Add in 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley. Add beef and remaining ingredients: 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp tomato paste, 1 tsp harissa paste, 1/3 cup crumbled feta and mix until just incorporated. Don't overmix or your meat will become tough.
Stuff your pitas. Slice pitas in half. Gently pull apart the edges. Stuff your pitas with the meat mixture, ensuring you squish it right to the edges. I like to aim for the same thickness as one side of the pita (about 1/2 inch max) - err on the side of thinner otherwise your meat won't cook before it burns. I recommend testing one first to get a sense before stuffing them all.
Make your pickle yogurt dip. To a small bowl, add yogurt, 2 tbsp pickle juice, and finely diced pickles. Taste and adjust with more pickles if needed.
Cook your areyes. Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Low and slow here. Brush your pitas with a thin layer of oil (this is instead of adding oil to the pan which will result in uneven oil distribution and an oily mess!)
Working in batches, place pitas flat onto the pan and cook for 5-6 mintues per side, or until theinternal temp reaches 160F. Once cooked through, finish by frying the exposed meat seam until just golden - about 1 minute. Remove from pan and place on wire rack until you serve.
Serve with fresh parsley and your yogurt dip right away.
Baking soda: The baking soda tenderizes the meat so it stays nice and juicy. You cannot taste it at all.
Reheating: These are incredible reheated in the air fryer.
Questions? Drop a comment below if you have any questions, and don’t forget to let me know if you make it!