Arayes Meat Stuffed Pitas

Arayes, a popular Middle Eastern dish, is delightful meat-stuffed pita bread that combines aromatic spices with juicy ground beef, baked to crispy perfection. Paired with a creamy tahini sauce, this dish is not only delicious but also quite simple to prepare.

Ingredients

For the Arayes:

🥩 2 pounds ground beef
🧅 1 medium-sized onion
🧄 3 cloves garlic
🌶️ 1 jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat)
🌿 A handful of parsley
🧂 1 tablespoon salt
🧅 1 teaspoon onion powder
🧄 1 teaspoon garlic powder
🌶️ 1 teaspoon paprika
⚫ 1 teaspoon black pepper
🌿 1/2 teaspoon cumin
🌿 1/2 teaspoon coriander
🌰 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
🫓 8 pita breads
🫒 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Tahini Sauce:

🥄 1/2 cup tahini
🍋 1/3 cup lemon juice
🍶 1 heaping tablespoon plain yogurt
🧄 1 garlic clove
🧂 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
⚫ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
💧 1/4 cup water to thin the sauce

Instructions

1- Preheat the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2- Prepare the Filling:

In a food processor, blend the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and parsley until finely chopped.

3- Mix the Meat:

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the processed mixture. Add salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon.
Mix thoroughly ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated.

4- Prepare the Pitas:

Cut each pita bread in half to form pockets.
Stuff each pocket with approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture. Ensure the pitas are full but not overstuffed to avoid tearing.

5- Brush with Olive Oil:

Lightly brush the outside of each stuffed pita with olive oil on all sides.

6- Bake:

Place the stuffed pitas on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are crispy and golden brown.

7- Prepare the Tahini Sauce:

While the arayes are baking, combine tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
Gradually add water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

8- Serve:

Once the arayes are done, serve them warm with the tahini sauce on the side.
Enjoy the crisp, savory flavors together!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories per Serving: Approximately 450
Protein: 25g
Fat: 30g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Equipment: Oven, baking sheet, food processor, mixing bowls