When you’re craving a quick, customizable and filling meal, look no further than arayes! These meat-stuffed pitas are a popular Middle Eastern dish: crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and full of flavor. Using a few simple ingredients that can be found at Modern Market, located at 2385 Arthur Ave., you can create your own version of arayes as well as a yogurt sauce to accompany it!
Arayes (Meat-Stuffed Pita)
Makes three servings
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
2 garlic cloves
1 scallion
3 pieces of round pita bread
From the Pantry:
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Onion powder
Paprika
Thyme
Frying pan
Mixing bowl
Recipe:
Chop garlic cloves and scallion into small pieces then add them to a bowl with the ground beef. Add about a teaspoon of each of the spices to the meat with a drizzle of olive oil. Thoroughly combine everything then place the mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
As your mixture rests, slice each of the three pitas in half. Remove the meat mixture from the fridge. Take one pita half and separate the top and bottom layers just enough so that the pocket opens up. Scoop 1 tablespoon of meat at a time into the pita pocket, pushing the meat in without ripping the top and bottom layers too far apart. Repeat this stuffing process for each of the pitas. Slice each of the stuffed pitas in half again, creating quarters (this allows for a quicker cooking process!).
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the pitas into the hot pan and cook each side until crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Then, place the open-seam of the pitas directly onto the pan to cook the exposed meat. Repeat this for the other meat-exposed side. Each should take an additional 2 minutes, but you’ll know when the exposed meat is a deep brown that the pitas can be removed.
Place the stuffed pitas on a plate and you’re ready to serve! Note that you can add/omit whatever you’d like when making the meat mixture for these stuffed pitas. Spices can be changed or different cheeses and herbs can be added!
Yogurt Dip:
Arayes taste even better when paired with a cold creamy sauce!
Combine one-fourth cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of honey, salt, pepper and thyme together in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the mixture to help thin out the sauce.
This dip can be adjusted to your liking, so be sure to taste and make changes as you go!
