Description
Arayes, or Stuffed Pita, is a delightful Middle Eastern dish featuring Turkish pita breads generously filled with a flavorful spiced minced beef or lamb mixture. Cooked to golden perfection in a frying pan, this recipe is served with a creamy garlic-tahini dip and tangy pickled red onions, making it a perfect appetizer or light meal bursting with bold, aromatic flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Arayes Filling
- 4 Turkish pita breads
- Olive oil spray
- 500 g (1 lb) minced (ground) beef or lamb
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or flat-leaf parsley
For the Garlic-Tahini Dip
- ¾ cup (185 g) Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp freshly minced garlic
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- 1–2 tbsp water, to loosen consistency
For the Pickled Red Onion
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ bunch coriander (cilantro) leaves or flat-leaf parsley
To Serve
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Make the filling: Place all the arayes filling ingredients into a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture to avoid tough meat.
- Prepare the pita: Cut each pita bread in half to create pockets. Carefully open each pocket without tearing the bread.
- Fill: Divide the beef mixture into eight equal portions. Insert a portion into each pita pocket and lay the pita flat. Using the palm of your hand, press and spread the meat evenly inside so it fully lines the pita pocket.
- Cook (pan method – recommended): Heat a large frying pan over medium–low heat and spray generously with olive oil. Place as many stuffed pitas as fit comfortably in a single layer. Cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the pitas are golden crisp and the meat is thoroughly cooked. Stand each pita on the meat side for 30–60 seconds to seal the edges if needed. Repeat for remaining pitas, reapplying olive oil spray as necessary.
- Make the dip: While the arayes cook, combine all the dip ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Pickle the onion: In another bowl, combine all pickled onion ingredients. Toss well and let sit aside while the arayes cook to soften and pickle.
- Serve: Arrange the stuffed pita on plates alongside the creamy garlic-tahini dip, pickled red onion, fresh coriander leaves, and lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Notes
- Use Turkish pita breads as they have larger pockets perfect for stuffing and are sturdier than regular pita.
- If cooking in batches, keep completed arayes warm in a low oven while cooking the rest.
- Alternative cooking methods include using a sandwich press, oven, or air fryer—adjust cooking times accordingly to ensure the meat is cooked through and the bread crisps.
