Ingredients
- minced lamb 500g
- onion 1, very finely chopped
- garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
- flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
- pine nuts 50g, toasted and ground
- lemon juice 1 tsp
- pitta breads 4 large
- olive oil 1 tbsp
- cardamom seeds from 3 pods
- coriander seeds 1 tsp
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- cloves 2
- ground allspice 1 tsp
- ground black pepper 1/2 tsp
- ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp
- freshly grated nutmeg a pinch
- chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Method
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Step 1
To make the baharat spice, grind the cardamom, coriander and cumin seeds and the cloves to a powder in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Tip into a bowl and mix in the remaining spices. Store in a jar until needed.
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Step 2
Put the minced lamb into a bowl and add the onion, garlic, 1 salt, 2 tsp of the baharat spice, the parsley, pine nuts and lemon juice. Mix well and use your hands to squelch and squeeze everything together.
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Step 3
Slice the pitta breads open and divide the lamb mixture between them, flattening the mixture to a thickness of 1-2cm. Close the pittas and push down so that the meat is fully covered by the bread. Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Gently fry the pitta sandwiches on both sides until the pitta is nicely toasted and the meat inside is cooked through. Stick a skewer in the middle to check – it should be piping hot.
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Step 4
Serve with a simple salad of tomato wedges, red onion and flat-leaf parsley dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
