Greek-Style Lamb Burgers with Minted Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

For yogurt sauce:

• 1 12-ounce container plain yogurt
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves, or to taste

For burgers:

• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives (12 to 15)
• 6 small pita loaves, each split halfway around edge to form a pocket
• 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
• 2 small green bell peppers, cut into rings
• 1 red onion, sliced thin

Directions

Make yogurt sauce: Drain yogurt in a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel set over a bowl 30 minutes. Transfer drained yogurt to a small bowl and stir in garlic paste and mint.

Make burgers: Prepare grill. Handling lamb as gently as possible, in a bowl combine lamb with feta and olives and form into six 1-inch-thick patties. Season burgers lightly with salt and pepper to taste and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 7 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

Transfer burgers to pita pockets and top with tomatoes, bell peppers and onion. Serve burgers with yogurt sauce.