Crispy Beef Arayes with Garlic Shallot Chili Crisp

Arayes are meat-stuffed pita found across the Levant. Here, cumin, coriander, and allspice season a thin beef filling; a skillet browns the bread before an oven finish cooks the centers. Garlic Shallot Chili Crisp is Blackland's finishing adaptation, spooned on after cooking so its aromatic solids stay distinct.

About 8 stuffed pita halves, cut into 16 triangles; 4 servings of 4 triangles with one-quarter of the dip each. Yield is approximate.

Allow about 55 minutes: 25 minutes to prepare the filling, dip, and pitas, then 30 minutes for skillet batches and the oven finish. Oven preheating overlaps preparation. Thicker bread or filling can require additional cooking; temperature determines doneness.

Ingredients

• 4 thin pocket pitas, about 7 inches (18 cm) across, roughly 240 g total; avoid thick pocketless flatbread
• 1 pound (454 g) 90% lean ground beef
• 1/2 small yellow onion (about 80 g), peeled and finely grated, then squeezed to yield about 1/4 cup (40 g) onion solids
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing all the pita surfaces
• 3/4 cup (180 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) well-stirred tahini
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water, for the dip
• 2 tablespoons BLACKLAND Garlic Shallot Chili Crisp, divided between the pita and dip finish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Stir the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, water, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt into a smooth dip; cover and refrigerate while you prepare the arayes.
2. Squeeze the grated onion in a clean towel and discard the liquid so the filling will not soak the bread. Combine the measured onion solids with the beef, parsley, cumin, coriander, allspice, pepper, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix just until evenly distributed. Keep raw meat and its utensils away from the prepared dip.
3. Cut each pita in half and open the pockets gently. Divide the filling evenly among the 8 halves, about 65 g each, and press it into an even layer no thicker than 1/4 inch (6 mm), reaching the edges. If a pita cannot hold that thickness without tearing, use a larger thin pocket pita rather than packing the meat more thickly. Brush the outsides with the measured tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Cook 2 pita halves at a time, about 2 minutes per side, pressing lightly, until golden. This stage browns the bread; it does not establish safe meat doneness. Lower the heat if the bread darkens before 2 minutes. Transfer each batch to the prepared rack in a single layer while searing the rest; allow about 16 minutes for four batches.
5. As soon as the final skillet batch is ready, place the whole tray in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the beef in every pocket reaches 160°F (71°C). Insert a thin-tip thermometer horizontally through the open edge into the center of the meat, avoiding the bread and rack. If any pocket is below temperature, continue baking and check again; loosely shield dark bread with foil. Complete the cooking in this session, without refrigerating partially cooked filling for later.
6. Stir the chili crisp thoroughly to distribute oil and solids. Cut each cooked pita half into 2 triangles. After they leave the oven, distribute 1 1/2 tablespoons chili crisp over all 16 triangles and swirl the remaining 1/2 tablespoon over the chilled yogurt-tahini dip. Serve immediately. Do not fry the crisp solids or add another coating of oil.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the included yogurt-tahini dip alongside the hot triangles so their bread stays crisp.
• Add a separately prepared cucumber-and-tomato salad for a larger meal.
• For an appetizer portion, divide the 16 triangles among 8 people; each person gets 2 triangles and one-eighth of the dip.

Optional Variations

• For a beef-and-lamb filling, replace 8 ounces (227 g) of the beef with the same weight of ground lamb. Keep the thin filling and 160°F (71°C) internal-temperature requirement.
• For a dip without tahini, replace its 1 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon (15 g) additional Greek yogurt. The flavor will be sharper and less nutty; check all packaged ingredients before making an allergen-free claim.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate cooked arayes and dip separately in covered shallow containers at 40°F (4°C) or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Use within 3 days. The bread will soften in storage.

Reheat the arayes on a rack in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the filling reaches 165°F (74°C), shielding the bread if needed. Keep the dip cold. For the best texture, reserve the chili-crisp finish on any portions intended for leftovers until after reheating.

Contains wheat in standard pita, milk in yogurt, and sesame in tahini. Pita may also contain soy or other allergens. Check the pita, tahini, and chili-crisp labels for ingredient changes and cross-contact advisories. The ground-beef filling makes this a meat dish.

Stir Garlic Shallot Chili Crisp before measuring. The 2 tablespoons are a finish for the entire batch, added off the heat; the dip and beef need no additional chili oil. The product is rated 2/5; the finished dish has an estimated mild warmth.

More from the BLACKLAND kitchen: Whipped Feta with Garlic Shallot Chili Crisp or Chili Crisp Roasted Vegetables.