Middle Eastern Turkey Pitas Recipes

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.

SWEET-AND-SPICY TURKEY PITAS

Steps:

• Toast 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder in a skillet 20 seconds; let cool. Mix with 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce and 1/2 cup plain yogurt in a bowl. Add 2 cups chopped leftover turkey and 1/4 cup each chopped scallions and celery. Season with salt and add some toasted walnuts, if desired. Stuff into pitas lined with lettuce.

QUINOA-AND-TURKEY PATTIES IN PITA WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir once, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender but still chewy and has absorbed all the liquid, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork; let cool.
• Meanwhile, process garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 cup water in a food processor until smooth. If mixture is too thick to pour, thin with more water. Transfer dressing to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• In a clean food processor, pulse turkey, allspice, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), mint, scallions, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until a smooth paste forms. Add quinoa; process until mixture comes together around the blade, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. With dampened hands, roll about 2 tablespoons quinoa mixture into a ball; flatten slightly, and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 24 patties.
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium, until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, fry patties until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer patties to a clean plate, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Add more oil to skillet between batches as necessary.
• Divide lettuce, cucumber, and red onion evenly among pita breads. Top each with 4 quinoa patties, then drizzle each sandwich with about 1 tablespoon tahini dressing. Fold pitas over filling, and serve.
• Nutrition Information
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 434g
• Saturated: 2.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.9g
• Cholesterol: 32.5mg
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Protein: 23g
• Sodium: 380mg
• Fiber: 5.1g

MIDDLE EASTERN KIBBEH PITAS

Steps:

• In a food processor, chop onions, pulsing until grated. Add parsley and chop again, using on/off turns.
• Add ground lamb (ground beef can be substituted) along with cinnamon, saffron, salt and pepper. Pulse until combined and mixture is a smooth paste.
• Using metal skewers, taking a ball of approximately 2 tablespoons of mixture, place on skewer, press it along the skewer to make an oval of approximately 4-inches long. (It is easiest if you use a grilling rack in case mixture falls off). Repeat with remaining meat mixture.
• Preheat grill or broiler.
• Grill skewers for 2 minutes on each side or until crisp on the outside.
• To serve: on a large serving platter, place warmed pita breads, onion slices, salad greens, hummus and yogurt mixed with mint (if using) and meat. Fill pitas with choice of accompaniments.

GREEK TURKEY PITAS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Stir in the turkey. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour., Spoon turkey mixture onto each pita; top with tomato, onion, olives, pepperoncini, lettuce and feta cheese. Fold in half.

EASY TURKEY PITA

Steps:

• Fill bread with turkey, tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Drizzle with dressing.

TURKISH LAMB PITAS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• For lamb:
• Combine first 13 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl; mix to blend thoroughly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Using moistened hands and 1/4 cup for each, shape lamb mixture into about 20 oval patties measuring approximately 3x1 1/2x1/2 inches. Arrange patties on sheet of foil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, return patties to foil. Reserve drippings in skillet.
• For sauce:
• Heat drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and allspice. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Stir in pomegranate molasses. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until patties are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer patties to bowl. Tilt skillet and spoon fat off top of sauce. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, mashing tomatoes with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return patties to sauce. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap pitas in foil; bake 12 minutes to heat.
• Simmer patties in sauce until heated through; mix in green onions. Cut pitas in half; gently open each half. Place 1 or 2 patties and some sauce into each pita half and top with dollop of yogurt.
• *A thick pomegranate syrup that is available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets.