Arayes

Name: Arayes
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 small Pitas, Cut in half; 1 Onion, Yellow, grated and squeezed dry; 7 cloves of Garlic, Minced; 2 tbsp Tomato Paste; 1/3 cups Parsley, Fresh, chopped; 1/3 cups Cilantro, Fresh, chopped; optional; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 lb Ground Beef, Lean; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper (Black); 1 tsp Cinnamon; 2 tsp Cumin; 2 tsp Paprika; 1 tsp Allspice; 1/2 cups Greek Yogurt; 3 tbsp Tahini; 1/2 lemon of Lemon, Juiced; 2 cloves of Garlic, Minced; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1/4 cups Parsley, Fresh, chopped; 1/4 cups Cilantro, Fresh, chopped; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper (Black); 1 tsp Paprika

Arayes are crispy, golden pita pockets stuffed with a spiced ground beef mixture and finished in the oven for a juicy, caramelized interior and a crunchy exterior. They pair perfectly with a bright garlic-tahini sauce and make a satisfying appetizer or weeknight main that's both rustic and irresistible. Simple to assemble and full of Middle Eastern flavors, these stuffed pitas are comfort food with a gourmet touch.

Arayes are crispy, golden pita pockets stuffed with a spiced ground beef mixture and finished in the oven for a juicy, caramelized... Show more

By Ben Chelin · Original recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Time

45 min

Price

1,57 €

Calories

686 kcal

high protein

low sugar

Method

Wash the herbs

Rinse the parsley, cilantro, and lemon under cold water, then pat everything very dry. Dry herbs chop more neatly, and keeping extra moisture out will help both the filling and the sauce stay nicely balanced.

Prep the produce

Peel and grate the yellow onion on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze it very dry in a clean kitchen towel or with your hands. Peel and finely mince the garlic; set aside 2 cloves for the sauce and keep the remaining 7 cloves for the filling. Finely chop the parsley and cilantro, setting aside about 3 tablespoons of each for the sauce and keeping the rest for the filling. Cut the lemon in half and juice one half, then gently split the small pitas in half to make pockets if they are not already cut.

Whisk the sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, tahini, the lemon juice, the reserved garlic, olive oil, the reserved chopped parsley, the reserved chopped cilantro, cumin, salt, black pepper, and paprika until smooth and creamy. If the sauce looks very thick at first, keep whisking for 1 minute; it should loosen into a spoonable consistency as the tahini blends with the yogurt and lemon. Set it aside while you make the arayes so the flavors can meld.

Mix the filling

In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, the remaining garlic, tomato paste, the remaining chopped parsley, the remaining chopped cilantro if you want it in the filling, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground beef, cinnamon, the remaining cumin, the remaining salt, the remaining black pepper, the remaining paprika, and allspice. Mix with your hands or a spoon just until everything is evenly combined and the seasonings are distributed throughout the meat.

Stuff the pitas

Open each pita half gently to create a pocket without tearing through the sides. Divide the seasoned beef filling among the pita halves and press it into a thin, even layer that reaches almost all the way to the edges, then press the pita closed so the meat makes contact with both inner surfaces of the bread.

Heat the skillet

Set a large heavy skillet or grill pan over medium heat and let it preheat for 3 minutes. A properly heated pan will crisp the bread quickly and help the filling start cooking right away.

Cook the arayes

Lay the stuffed pitas in the hot pan in a single layer and cook, pressing gently with a spatula, until the first side is deeply golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes, lowering the heat if the bread is browning faster than the meat can cook. Continue until the pitas are crisp on both sides and the beef is fully cooked with no pink remaining; work in batches if your pan is crowded.

Serve hot

Let the arayes rest for 2 minutes, then cut them into halves or wedges if you like and serve them hot with the garlic tahini sauce on the side for dipping.