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Imagine a roasted, crispy pita with a smoked aroma filled with well-spiced, juicy, ground beef. That’s what arais is, made using an old Middle Eastern recipe. Moroccan grandmothers make it in a pop-up toaster, and the Lebanese consider it a street food. It’s made a comeback these days and is served in many food establishments.
10 pita halves
1/2 cup oil
coarse salt
pepper
tomatoes, cut in half (optional)
1 pound (1/2 kilogram) ground beef (use a fatty meat or grind in a little sheep fat)
1 onion, very finely chopped
bunch of parsley, chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Ta’amti Harissa
1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
salt
pepper
1 cup Mighty Sesame Tahini
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced or 2 cubes Gefen Frozen Garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper
In a large bowl, mix all arais ingredients into a smooth mixture.
Put two tablespoons of the beef mixture into each pita half.
Arrange all filled pitas, side by side, in a sealable container. Cover and wrap container in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to six hours.
To make the techina, blend tahini paste with water, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to an airtight container.
Put container with filled pitas directly on top of ice inside a cooler or insulated bag. Keep the techina in the cooler/bag as well, and bring along the oil, a brush for the oil, and bags with salt and pepper.
Brush pita halves with oil on both sides.
Grill on all sides (including open side) until charred. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. If desired, grill tomatoes until charred.
Serve tahini alongside filled pitas. If you’d like, add tomatoes.
Photography by Hudi Greenberger Food Styling and Props by Chavi Feldman
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