Lebanese Sfeeha Arayes (Pita Pockets with Spiced Meat)
Description
Craving sfeeha without the hassle of making dough from scratch? These easy bites come together in minutes and are perfect for a quick meal or a Lebanese mezze spread!
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz ground lamb or a mixture of ground lamb and beef, with 30 percent fat
- 4 small pita bread loaves
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil to brush the bread before baking
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 small tomato diced and drained (discard the juice)
- 1½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- ½ teaspoon seven-spice blend or allspice as a substitute
- A pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Crushed red chili flakes or cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
To Make Lebanese Sfeeha Arayes
- Sprinkle the chopped onion with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Finely dice the tomato and squeeze it with your hands to remove excess liquid. Squeeze the onion between your palms to drain any liquid.
- In a bowl, combine the meat, spices, chili, drained onion, garlic, oil, tomatoes, and pomegranate molasses. Mix well.
- Cut the pita breads into quarters. Fill each quarter with a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, spreading it completely flat and even to ensure it cooks uniformly.
- Preheat your panini press. Brush the pita quarters with oil on both sides and place them in the heated press.
- Cook for 15–20 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes to ensure even browning and that the meat cooks through. For extra-crispy Arayes, transfer them to a preheated oven for an additional 2 minutes, if desired.
- Alternatively, cook the Arayes on a charcoal grill or bake them in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and the meat is cooked through.
- Serve hot with plain yogurt, hummus, or a comforting bowl of [Lebanese Brown Lentil Soup], [Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)], or [Lebanese Red Lentil Soup].
Video
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