Arayes with Harissa Aioli
- 03 Apr, 2025
- Posted by: Julia Heffelfinger
Arayes with Harissa Aioli (Lebanese Stuffed Pita)
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Servings
8
Arayes are Lebanese meat-stuffed pita that can be thin and crispy or thick and juicy like a burger. This version lands somewhere in the middle, with our spicy Harissa Aioli keeping the filling extra tender. Grilling adds delicious smokiness, but a cast-iron skillet on the stove top works too. Be sure to use pita bread with pockets for easy stuffing or try flour tortillas for a crispier twist. Don’t forget a final drizzle of creamy Harissa Aioli!
Author:Julia Heffelfinger
Ingredients
½ lb lean ground beef
½ lb ground lamb
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¼ cup Terrapin Ridge Farms’ Harissa Aioli Squeeze, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp finely chopped mint and/or cilantro leaves
½ medium yellow onion, grated on a box grater and excess liquid squeezed out
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt
4 pocketed pita breads
2 Tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
In a large bowl, combine beef, lamb, Harissa aioli, herbs, onion, garlic, cumin, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Shape mixture into 8 patties, about ¼ cup each.
If your pita are stiff, wrap them in a clean, damp kitchen towel and microwave on HIGH for about 30 seconds, or until warm and pliable. Cut pita in half and gently open up pockets.
Stuff a patty inside each pita half and spread in an even layer. Gently flatten with your hands, then transfer to a large plate or baking sheet.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush outsides of arayes all over with the olive oil. Working in batches, grill arayes, flipping once, until the outside is browned and crispy and the filling is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat as needed if the pita is browning too quickly before the filling is cooked. Transfer to a platter and cover loosely with foil while you cook the remaining arayes.
Sprinkle arayes with flaky sea salt and drizzle with more Harissa aioli. Garnish with more parsley over top and a few lemon wedges on the side. Serve right away.
Make Ahead
Meat mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before stuffing your pita and grilling.
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