Lisa Samuel goes on an annual trip to Tel Aviv and when she goes back this year she'll head directly to Miznon for the lamb pita. But until she can get there, she'll make this Lamb Pita with Tahini Sauce and Zhug recipe – it’s as close as you’ll get to the real thing without hopping a flight to Israel.
5jalapeñosor other spicy peppers, halved and seeded (if desired)
2garlic cloves
1teaspooncumin seedstoasted and ground
1teaspoonsea salt
1/4teaspooncoriander seedstoasted and ground
1/2teaspoonground cardamom
2cupsfresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/2bunchFresh flat-leaf parsley leavesabout 1 cup
1teaspoonblack pepper
Zestof 1lemon
2tablespoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
Make The Lamb Meatballs:
1/2cupfresh cilantro leaves
1poundground lamb
3garlic cloves
1/4cupfresh mint leavesfinely chopped
1teaspooncumin seedstoasted and ground
1teaspooncoriander seedstoasted and ground
1/4teaspoonground cardamom
1/4teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
For Serving The Pita:
6whole wheat pita
1Persian cucumbertrimmed and thinly sliced
1pintgrape or cherry tomatoeshalved
Instructions
Make The Tahini Sauce: Add the 1/2 cup tahini paste to a bowl. Place the 1 garlic clove on a cutting board and pour 1/2 teaspoon of salt on top. Using the side of a chef’s knife, smash the garlic and grind it with the salt until it turns into a paste.Add the garlic-salt paste to the tahini, along with 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, and about 1/4 cup of water. Stir together with a fork until the tahini sauce is blended and becomes the consistency of honey. Add more water, if needed. Taste for lemon and salt and adjust, as desired.
Make The Zhug: Combine the jalapeños, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of the ground cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of the coriander seeds, 2/3 of the ground cardamom seeds, 2 cups of the cilantro, the 1 cup parsley, the 1 teaspoon black pepper, the zest of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of the freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or in a blender.Pulse several times, until all the ingredients are blended but the sauce is not puréed. Set aside until ready to use.
Make The Lamb Meatballs: Finely chop the remaining cilantro then add to a large bowl with the ground lamb, the remaining garlic cloves, the mint, the remaining coriander seeds, the remaining cumin, the remaining cardamom, the red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of the sea salt. Using your hands, gently incorporate the herbs and spices into the lamb. Divide the lamb mixture into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a meatball.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush the bottom of the pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then add the lamb meatballs to the hot skillet, being sure not to crowd the pan. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the meatballs in two batches.) Brown the meatballs on each side, turning them as they get a dark golden crust on the outside, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove the meatballs to a plate and keep warm.
Make The Pita: To build the pita, place two heaping tablespoons of tahini sauce in the bottom of the pita. Add three meatballs to the pita and then tuck cucumber slices and tomato halves into the side of the pita. Top with additional tahini sauce, if desired, and a little bit of zhug or a lot of zhug, depending on how spicy you like it.