Spiced Middle Eastern Lamb Patties with Pita and Yogurt
Juicy Middle Eastern-spiced lamb patties served in warm pita bread with a cooling herbed yogurt sauce. These flavorful patties are seasoned with aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and paprika, then grilled to perfection.
Ingredients
- •1 cup plain full-fat or low-fat yogurt
- •2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- •2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs, such as mint, dill or cilantro, plus herb sprigs, for serving
- •1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- •1½ pounds ground lamb or beef
- •1 tablespoon minced garlic
- •1 tablespoon coriander
- •2 teaspoons ground cumin
- •1½ teaspoons hot paprika
- •5½ teaspoons kosher salt
- •1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- •4 pieces pita bread rounds
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
In a small bow, whisk the yogurt with the lemon juice. Stir in the chopped herbs, season with salt and refrigerate until ready to use.
5 min
- 2.
In a bowl, use your hands to mix together all of the ingredients, except for the pita. Form the mixture into twelve 3-inch oval patties (about 1 inch thick). Arrange the patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm
40 min
- 3.
Preheat a grill for at least 10 minutes and prepare it for grilling over moderately high heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, leave one area where you can grill the pita indirectly.
10 min
- 4.
Oil the grill grates and grill the patties until dark brown grill marks form on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the patties and grill for 4 to 6 minutes longer, until just cooked through.
12 min
- 5.
Meanwhile, wrap the pita in foil and set the package on the top shelf of a gas grill or in the cooler spot of a charcoal grill and allow them to warm through, 8 to 10 minutes.
10 min
- 6.
Wrap 2 or 3 patties in each pita, spoon some of the yogurt sauce alongside and serve with herb sprigs, passing the remaining yogurt sauce at the table.
5 min
