gyros

As much as I like making complicated meals that give me a sense of accomplishment, it seems it’s always the simple, easy meals my husband raves about. My first attempt at homemade pasta was definitely well received and cheers given honoring my efforts and the results, but later that night I was hearing (for the tenth time) exceeding praise for the sandwich I made the week before.  I’ve been trying to ween my husband away from the whole “slab of meat and slice of cheese crammed between two pieces of bread” idea but after making this sandwich, I must agree — sometimes the only thing that can hit the spot is a nice big sandwich.

Warm pita pockets filled with the usuals such as lettuce and tomato seems ordinary until you taste the crumbled feta over warm lamb  — and that is not something most sandwiches can boast. This gyro is not heavy like most meat packed sandwiches; the lamb actually crumbles like feta, and is flavored with mint, lemon and red onion then rolled into balls and flattened into small disks. The patties are cooked in the skillet until they reach the perfect combination of crispy edges and moist and tender insides. And no gyro would be complete without the cucumber-yogurt sauce, tzatziki, which makes a great salad dressing for all the left over sandwich fixings.

Gyros
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two

Serves 2

Taztziki Sauce:
1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped finely
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chopped mint
Salt

Lamb:
2 8-inch pita breads
1 small red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped mint
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces ground lamb
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Sandwich:
1 small tomato thinly sliced
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled

Tzatziki Sauce:
Toss the cucumber with 1/8 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl and let drain for 30 minutes.

Combine the yogurt, drained cucumber, lemon juice, garlic and mint in a bowl. Season to taste.

Lamb:
Heat oven to 350 ºF. Trim the top quarter off each pita bread. Stack the pitas and wrap tightly with foil. Tear the trimmed quarters into 1-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup) and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, process the onion, lemon juice, mint, garlic, salt, pepper and pita breakdpieces until it makes a smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Transfer the paste to a medium bowl and add the lamb. Gently mix together until thoroughly combined. Divide the lamb mixture into 6 equal portions and roll into balls. Gently flatten the balls into round disks, about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

Place the foil-wrapped pitas directly on the oven rack and heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add the lamb patties and cook until well browned and crust forms, 3 – 4 minutes.

Turn the patties over, and cook until well browned and a crust forms on the second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the patties to a paper-towel lined plate.

Assembly:
Spread tzatziki sauce inside each pita. Divide the patties evenly among the pitas and add tomato slices, shredded lettuce, and feta. Serve.

Gyro Salad:
Place unused lettuce in a bowl. Chop up remaining tomato and add to the lettuce. Crumble remaining lamb over lettuce and add feta to taste. Use left over tzatziki sauce as the salad dressing.