Pita Sandwiches with Grilled Beef and Lemon-Tahini Sauce

So Weber.com, send the Recipe of the Week every Friday.  It was odd they sent one the day I was craving hummus and Greek Food.  I sent the recipe to D and he said ok.

We tweaked a couple of things because we weren't going to buy bulger just for this recipe.  So we decided to use breadcrumbs.  He used really lean beef, so he added an egg, to keep the patties together.  Overall, it was really good and I would gladly have again.

We had with a Greek Salad.


Pita Sandwiches with Grilled Beef and Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Photo by ALB

Recipe adapted from Jamie Purviance, from Weber.com

Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Grilling time: 9 to 11 minutes

Ingredients
Patties
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, about 8 ounces, minced or grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 whole pita pockets (standard size)
Added tomato

Preparation
1. Mix all the patty ingredients, and then gently form eight patties of equal size in an oval shape, each 2½ to 3 inches wide and about ¾ inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of the patties to prevent them from forming a dome as they cook. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.

2. In a small bowl whisk the sauce ingredients until smooth and the tahini is thoroughly incorporated.

3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F).

4. Grill the patties over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to medium doneness (160°F), 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. During the last minute of grilling time, toast the pitas over direct heat until slightly puffed (making them easier to stuff), turning once.

5. Cut the pitas crosswise in half and place a dollop of the sauce inside each. Then add a patty, cucumber slices, and onion. Top with additional sauce and serve right away.

Nutrition Facts (from MyFitnessPal)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 557; Total Fat: 23 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 123 mg; Sodium: 830 mg; Potassium: 460 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 49 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Sugars: 11 g; Protein: 38 g