Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 red onions, 1 cut into 1/4-inch dice and 1 sliced for garnish
- Kosher salt
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely smashed
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 1/2 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano, finely chopped
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 4 Whole-Wheat Pitas, recipe follows, or 4 seeded hamburger buns
- Pickled Feta Spread, recipe follows
- 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced for garnish
- 2 cups baby spinach, for garnish
Directions
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, toss in the diced onions and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to medium-high heat and cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 4 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the lamb, the cooled onion mixture, the dill, mint, oregano, lemon zest and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Sprinkle with salt and combine well. Make a little "tester patty," cook it and taste for seasoning.
Preheat the grill.
Form the lamb mixture into 4 equal patties and sprinkle with salt. Grill the burgers to your desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the burgers from the grill and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Cut the Whole-Wheat Pitas in half. Schmear each half generously with the Pickled Feta Spread. Top one half with a burger, then tomatoes, sliced onions and spinach. Place the other pita half on top.
Whole-Wheat Pitas:
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups bread flour, plus a little more for dusting
- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast and let sit for 15 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours, cumin, salt and cayenne. Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil. Mix on medium speed to combine and knead the dough. It should take 6 to 7 minutes. The dough will be firm and not sticky or tacky.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into 7-inch rounds (1/4-inch thick). Divide the dough between 2 sheet trays, cover them loosely with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
Bake the pitas for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the pitas over and bake for 2 more minutes. Let cool and use as desired.
Pickled Feta Spread:
- 1 cup champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 mint tea bags
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 fresh mint stems (leaves reserved for something else), optional
- 3 fresh dill stems, same deal as the mint stems
- 3 fresh oregano stems, same deal as the mint stems
- 8 ounces feta, coarsely crumbled
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
Place the vinegar, sugar, salt, tea bags, bay leaf and herb stems, if using, in a small saucepan along with 1 cup water. Heat until the sugar and salt has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Place the feta in a small container. Add the vinegar mixture and be sure that the feta is submerged in the liquid. Let sit for a couple of hours outside the refrigerator if using right away, or in the refrigerator if using in the future.
Strain the feta from the pickling liquid and discard the tea bags, bay leaf and stems. Place the feta in a food processor and add the yogurt. Pulse until combined.
















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By pumakitten
on June 04, 2013
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I really enjoyed this recipe! I have never liked lamb before but my fiance loves lamb and so I decided to try this recipe. Best burger I ever made! I omitted the water and also added the fresh herbs to the onions immediately after I removed them from the stove. I also grilled them on an outdoor barbeque and after what seemed to be 30-45 minutes they came out beautifully medium rare. I'm not sure why it took so long to cook them but they came out delicious.
Decided to skip both the pita and pickled feta dressing mainly because my fiance doesn't like feta cheese and didn't have the extra time to make the pitas but will definitely try the pita recipe soon.
By kmd84
on April 03, 2013
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I've only made the pita so far and they are amazing! It's a brilliant recipe and I would have never thought I could make my own whole wheat pita so easily. The hardest part was waiting the hour and a half for the dough to rise. I cannot wait to try the lamb burger recipe.
By ldib600
on May 07, 2012
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It's a good Recipe.
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