Arayes
Lebanese kafta meat stuffed toasted pita bread, a delicious and quick lunch that everyone will enjoy!
Servings 4 people
Calories 386kcal
Ingredients
For the kafta:
- 1/2 lb ground beef 250g
- 1/2 lb ground lamb 250g
- 1/2 onion grated or pulsed in food processor
- 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon seven spices or all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch red chili flakes
To assemble:
- 4-5 large pita breads
- olive oil
- tomato paste optional
- salt for sprinkling
For serving:
- pomegranate molasses, optional
- yogurt or a green salad
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (205C). Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
- Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well until combined. You can use a spoon, or gloved hands to mix.
- Cut each pita bread in half, and fill each pita pocket with about 1/4 cup of meat mixture. Cut each half into quarter ( I like using kitchen scissors for this). You can also peel open a pita bread to separate the two halves, spread the meat filling all over evenly, top with the other half then cut into quarters (see video under the nutritional facts to see what I mean).
- Place all stuffed pita quarters evenly spaced onto the baking sheet, and drizzle both sides with olive oil (you can brush the oil on if you want). I like to rub a little tomato paste on some of the outside of the pita breads, it gives a little color and flavor. Sprinkle salt onto the pita bread. Bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping over halfway through until both sides are crisp and golden brown.
- Serve warm, preferably drizzled with pomegranate molasses, with a side of yogurt or a simple salad.
Notes
You can find the original recipe for kafta here.
Kafta bilsanieh is another delicous iteration, where the kafta is baked in a pan with potatoes, tomato slices, onions and tomato sauce for a Middle Eastern style meatloaf.
Nutrition
Calories: 386kcal