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Crispy Beef Arayes Recipe with Zucchini and Fresh Herbs

These Middle Eastern–style stuffed pitas are packed with juicy ground beef, fresh herbs, zucchini, and garlic, then grilled and baked until golden and crispy. Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, arayes are an easy, flavorful dinner or snack that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Lebanese, Mediterranean, middle eastern
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Arayes

  • 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves chiffonade
  • 3 green onions finely chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini grated
  • 2 garlic cloves grated
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Allepo pepper flakes
  • 1.5 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 4 pita pockets
  • olive oil for drizzling

Tomato Herb Salad

  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves
  • 2 large heirloom tomatoes cut into bite size pieces
  • kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp sumac
  • olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Mix together ground beef and all the ingredients that come before in the list.
  • Cut pita pockets in half and fill with 1/8 of the meat mixture. use your hands to even out the meat and flatten the opening. Cut the stuffed pocket in half. Repeat with remaining meat and pita.
  • Preteat oven to 350°. Place a grill pan on the stove on medium-high heat. Drizzle pitas with olive oil and use your fingers to rub on both sides.
  • Working in batches, place pitas on the hot pan, starting with one of the exposed sized and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and place on a tray. Finish in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
  • Toss together tomatoes and herbs with sumac and a generous pinch of salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Top with Maldon slat if you're feeling fancy.
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