Middle Eastern Turkey Pitas Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN TURKEY DOGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, mix together cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and salt. In a large bowl, crumble the ground turkey; slowly work in seasoning mixture with your hands, distributing seasoning as evenly as possible. Divide into 8 equal balls. On a flat surface, roll out each turkey ball into a tube shape.
• Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and set it over medium heat. Place turkey tubes into the skillet; cook, turning frequently, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven about 6 minutes.

JACK'S MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup warm water. Stir in the sugar and set aside the mixture until it blooms with a slightly foamy top, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour and white whole-wheat flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a deep depression in the middle with a wooden spoon and add the olive oil. Slowly pour in the bloomed yeast mixture.
• Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on low speed until the mixture starts to come together. Slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water, adding up to an additional 1/4 cup if needed so the dough looks smooth and feels slightly sticky. Add the salt, increase the speed to medium and continue to knead until a soft and stretchy dough forms (it should not feel sticky), 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Allow it to rise in a dark area until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Divide the dough into 18 even pieces, and form these pieces into smooth balls. Using a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough into circle that's about 5 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. Cover the dough with the damp towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a nonstick baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 525 degrees F.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully transfer 3 pieces of dough to it; lightly spritz them with water from a spray bottle. Bake the pitas until they're puffed up and light brown with a few dark brown freckles in places, watching very closely because they burn quickly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the pitas from the baking sheet and allow them to cool on plates or a wire rack covered in paper napkins to maintain softness. Place the baking sheet back in the oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pitas.
• Serve the pitas immediately with Tahini Sauce, if desired. Store them in resealable bags at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze them in resealable bags for up to 3 months.
• Combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin in a large bowl. Add the tahini to the garlic mixture, stirring with a whisk or fork to combine (the mixture will be very thick). Pour in 1/2 cup cold water, stirring until incorporated; feel free to add more until you reach the desired consistency. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

MIDDLE EASTERN TURKEY PITAS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Combine the turkey, minced onion, garlic, coriander, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Form into four 4-inch-square patties. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to grill.
• Meanwhile, spread the eggplant on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and set aside 10 minutes, then pat dry.
• Brush the eggplant with the olive oil and oil the grill grates. Grill the eggplant until tender and well marked, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, grill the turkey patties until marked and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Fill the pitas with the lettuce, a few eggplant slices, a turkey patty and the sliced onion. Thin the hummus with 3 tablespoons water, then spoon into the pitas. Serve with vegetable chips.