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Will you still be my friend if I confess that I’m not always a huge fan of the conventional burger? I prefer meat with some edge, and a patty can sometimes lack that good sear. Enter this smashburger, made with ground poultry seasoned with a pared-down, yet still punchy, shawarma spice. A hot skillet first caramelizes the meat and then toasts the pita side to a deep crunch, guaranteeing two separate but equally satisfying textural elements.
1 small onion
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound ground turkey (or chicken; preferably a combination of light and dark meat)
1/4 cup washed and finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 5-to 6-inch pitas, split into 4 total rounds
4 tablespoonsGefen Olive Oil
tahini sauce or well-stirred pure tahini paste such as Haddar, for serving
chopped Israeli salad, for serving (optional)
Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl (you should have about 1/2 cup). Stir in the cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, then mix in the turkey, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper with your hands or a silicone spatula until incorporated.
Arrange the pita rounds, insides up, on a clean work surface and spread one-quarter of the meat mixture out to the edge of each pita (the meat shrinks, so this is important). Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large (12-inch) dry nonstick or cast iron skillet over high heat. Add two tablespoons of the olive oil and arrange two of the pitas, meat side down, in the skillet and cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until the underside is deeply caramelized, four to five minutes. Flip and cook until the pitas are golden and crisp, one to two minutes. Wipe out the pan, add the remaining two tablespoons olive oil, and repeat with the remaining two pitas. Transfer to a cutting board, cut in halves or quarters, and drizzle with tahini, Garnish with cilantro and serve with Israeli salad, if desired.
Recipe excerpted from Zariz by Adeena Sussman (Avery 2026). Photo by Dan Perez.
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