Arayes – Meat Stuffed Pita Bread
Crispy and grilled to perfection. "Arayes" are meat-stuffed pitas that are so easy to make, full of flavor, and delicious. A classic dish, you will find these on any Mediterranean menu. Here, I will teach you to make the healthier and simpler version.Bon Appétit!
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne or crushed red pepper
- Dash of nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sumac powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup olive oil (for brushing the pita bread)
- 5 whole pita breads
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking, I prefer to use an electric grill).
- Start by grating the onions and dice the tomatoes. Place them in a sieve to drain all the liquid (important step so the pita bread does not get soggy while cooking).
- Crush the garlic clove.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat with all the spices: black pepper, nutmeg, salt, sumac, cinnamon, as well as the 1 tbsp olive oil, crushed garlic clove and the drained tomatoes and onion.
- Fill each pita bread with the meat mixture in an even thin layer. Brush the outside of all sides of the pita bread with olive oil and cut them in quarters.
- Grill (or bake in a 350 degree oven) for 15 to 20 minutes until evenly browned by turning every few minutes. Serve and enjoy.
