Arayes
Raw spiced ground meat packed straight into pita pockets and grilled, so the meat's own juices baste the bread from inside as both cook together and crisp. A Levantine street-food and home staple, distinct from Egypt's related but separately spiced and breaded cousin hawawshi.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Sesame. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb
- 1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 thin pita breads
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Tahini sauce and lemon wedges, for serving
Steps
- Mix the ground meat with the grated onion, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, and spices until well combined, without overworking it.
- Slice the pitas in half to form pockets.
- Stuff each pocket generously and evenly with the raw meat mixture, pressing it to the edges.
- Brush the outside with olive oil.
- Grill over medium-high heat, or pan-fry, 3-4 minutes per side until the bread is crisp and charred and the meat is cooked through.
- Cut into wedges and serve with tahini sauce, lemon, and pickles.