Arayes

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup onion – finely grated and squeezed dry
• 0.5 cup tomato – deseeded, finely chopped, well drained
• 1.5 tsp garlic – finely minced
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley – finely chopped
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 tsp Lebanese 7-spice (baharat)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
• 4 pitas pita breads – medium size
• 2 tbsp olive oil – for brushing
• tahini sauce – for serving
• lemon wedges – for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Prepare the aromatics: Grate the onion on the small holes of a box grater, then squeeze it very dry in a clean towel. Deseed and finely chop the tomato, letting excess juice drain. Finely mince the garlic and chop the parsley.
3. Make the filling: In a bowl, combine the ground lamb, grated onion, chopped tomato, parsley, minced garlic, Lebanese 7-spice, ground cumin, Aleppo pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix by hand until uniformly seasoned and slightly tacky, 30–60 seconds.
4. Cut each pita into quarters. Gently open each quarter to make a small pocket. Spread a thin, even layer of filling (about 2 tablespoons, 0.25 inch thick) inside each piece, pressing the meat to the edges to seal.
5. Brush both sides of each stuffed pita lightly with olive oil and arrange on the prepared rack.
6. Bake until the pita is crisp and the meat is cooked through, 12–18 minutes, flipping halfway. Doneness cue: internal temperature 160°F and no pink remains; for extra color, broil 1–2 minutes at the end.
7. Rest 2 minutes. Serve hot with tahini sauce and lemon wedges.