flat breads topped with cubes of halloumi on wooden skewers with salad and humus on a blue background

Halloumi souvlaki

Name: Halloumi souvlaki
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: shredded lettuce, red onions and tomatoes, to serve; hummus, to serve; ½ lemon, juiced, plus extra to serve; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped; 2 oregano sprigs, leaves picked and chopped; 1 garlic clove, crushed; ½ tsp paprika; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 250g halloumi; 1 red pepper, cut into 2cm pieces; ½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced; 250g greek yogurt; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; ½ lemon, juiced; small handful of mint, finely chopped; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; ¼ tsp sugar; ½ tbsp baking powder; a drizzle of sunflower oil

Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:50 mins
- Cook:30 mins
- + overnight marinating
A little effort
Serves 4

Ingredients

shredded lettuce, red onions and tomatoes, to serve
hummus, to serve

SOUVLAKI

½ lemon, juiced, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp olive oil
3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
2 oregano sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
250g halloumi
1 red pepper, cut into 2cm pieces

TZATZIKI

½ cucumber, peeled and finely diced
250g greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ lemon, juiced
small handful of mint, finely chopped
½ tsp ground black pepper

PITTA

400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
¼ tsp sugar
½ tbsp baking powder
a drizzle of sunflower oil

Method

STEP 1
The day before you want to serve the souvlaki, combine the lemon juice, oil, thyme, oregano, garlic, paprika, pepper and ½ tsp of salt in a bowl. Cut the halloumi into 5cm cubes. Mix it with the marinade, cover and leave it for 24 hrs in the fridge.
STEP 2
The next day, to make the tzatziki, put the cucumber in a colander, toss with ½ tsp of salt and leave to drain over a bowl for 10 mins. Mix the yogurt, garlic, lemon and mint, and season. Fold in the drained cucumber.
STEP 3
For the pitta, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder and ½ tsp of salt in a large bowl. Gradually add 250-300ml of warm water and start mixing until a dough is formed.
STEP 4
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured worksurface and knead it for 8-10 mins until smooth. Cut the dough into 150g pieces. Put them on a tray, cover with a clean tea towel then leave them in a warm place for 30 mins to rise.
STEP 5
Once risen, flatten the dough pieces on a clean worksurface. Roll them out to round shapes, each about 15cm wide, and use a fork to prick some holes.
STEP 6
Heat a pan over a medium heat, add a drizzle of sunflower oil and wipe around the pan to coat the base. Cook the pittas for 2-3 mins on each side or until cooked and golden. Keep warm wrapped in a tea towel while you cook the halloumi.
STEP 7
Thread the halloumi and pepper pieces onto skewers. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Put the souvlaki onto the griddle for 2 mins, then turn it for another minute. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 mins, then drizzle with some lemon juice before serving.
STEP 8
Put each pitta on a piece of baking paper sat on a piece of foil. Add a spoonful of hummus, tzatziki and the souvlaki to the pitta, and some of the salad on top, and fold in both sides to cover the fillings. Use the baking paper and foil to help seal the souvlaki, then twist the bottom to seal everything in.