Description
Crispy Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pita, also known as Arayes, is a delicious Middle Eastern dish featuring thin pita bread halves stuffed with a spiced lamb or beef mince mixture, pan-fried to golden perfection. Served with a creamy whipped tahini sauce, it’s perfect as a snack, appetizer, or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 5 pita bread (thin pocket type, ~15cm/6″ diameter, 250g/8oz pack), cut in half
- 1/2 brown onion
- 500g/1 lb lamb or beef mince (ground meat)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (substitute plain paprika)
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice (substitute mixed spice)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for less spicy)
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Whipped Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini (or Chinese sesame paste)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Other
- Olive oil spray (or brush with olive oil) for cooking
Instructions
- Prepare Spiced Meat Filling: Grate the half brown onion into a mixing bowl using a box grater to capture all the juices. Add the minced garlic, parsley (if using), ground coriander, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground allspice, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and the lamb or beef mince. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- Portion and Shape Filling: Divide the meat mixture into 10 portions, each about 55 to 60 grams (roughly 1/4 cup). Flatten each portion into a semi-circle shape slightly smaller than the pita half to make filling easier.
- Stuff Pita: Gently open each pita half and place one meat portion inside. Close the pita and press to spread the filling evenly to the edges without tearing the bread.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 50°C (120°F) and place a rack on a baking tray. This will be used to keep cooked Arayes warm while you finish cooking the rest.
- Pan Fry Arayes: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray or brush both sides of the stuffed pita with olive oil. Place 2-3 stuffed pitas in the pan, depending on size. Cook each side for approximately 2 minutes, pressing lightly with a spatula until they turn golden and crispy. The meat cooks quickly since it’s spread thin.
- Keep Warm: Transfer the cooked Arayes to the rack in the preheated oven to keep warm. Continue cooking the remaining pita pockets in the same way.
- Prepare Whipped Tahini Sauce: In a heatproof bowl, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt. Whisk until smooth, then microwave on high for 15 seconds. Whisk again; the sauce should have a soft whipped cream texture. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Serve: Optionally cut each Arayes in half. Arrange on a serving platter and serve with the whipped tahini sauce. Enjoy your delicious crispy Lebanese meat stuffed pita!
Notes
- Use thin pocket pita bread to ensure easy stuffing and even cooking.
- Grating the onion into the meat mixture helps release its juices and infuses flavor evenly.
- If pita tears when stuffing, gently warm it briefly or avoid overfilling to prevent breakage.
- You can reduce or omit cayenne pepper to lower spiciness according to taste.
- Tahini can be substituted with Chinese sesame paste if desired for the sauce.
- A sandwich press is an alternative cooking method to pan frying if available.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Keywords: Arayes, Lebanese stuffed pita, meat stuffed pita, lamb pita, beef pita, Middle Eastern appetizer, crispy pita, tahini sauce
