Grilled pitta stuffed with sumac-spiced meat

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These stuffed, spiced meat sandwiches are found across the Middle East and the Levant where they're known as arayes. Try them with a crunchy, tahini-dressed salad.

First published in 2022
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Eleanor says: 'A wonderful addition to the kebab culinary canon and a reversal of the usual order of things, as meat is wedged into pita bread before being griddled. In Arabic, arayes means ‘brides’ and here she is, the delicately spiced filling, enveloped in the arms of her groom, the bread. The marriage is undeniably burger-like but even quicker to prepare and with enticing sour and smoky notes from the sumac and paprika.'

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Method

1

Mix together the minced meat, tomato paste, pine nuts, spices, salt and parsley

2

Cut the pitta breads down one side and spread the filling in each in a thin and even layer. Brush the outsides with olive oil

  • 4 pitta breads
  • olive oil, for brushing
3

Heat a griddle pan to medium–high. Grill the pitas, pressing down with a spatula and flipping occasionally. A quarter turn in the pan will give you crisscross markings. They will probably take about 8–10 minutes in total, depending on your bread and how rare you like your meat. The pita should be well toasted and the meat cooked to a juicy pink or well done

4

Serve hot, drizzled with pomegranate molasses

First published in 2022
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Eleanor Ford is an award-winning author writing about food and travel.

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