Weeknight Gyro Pita with Spicy Feta and Pepperoncini

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A fast, griddled take on the gyro-shop classic: seasoned ground lamb pressed into thin patties so they crisp like shaved gyro loaf, pitas warmed right in the rendered drippings, then piled with whipped spicy feta sauce, tomato, red onion and a heavy hand of pepperoncini. Twenty-five minutes, one skillet, no vertical rotisserie required.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground lamb (or half lamb, half ground beef)
• 1/2 cup grated yellow onion, squeezed dry
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram or thyme
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 6 oz feta in brine, crumbled
• 1/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pepperoncini brine
• 3 whole pepperoncini, stemmed
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 small clove garlic
• squeeze of lemon juice

• 4 large pocketless pita or flatbread
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, shaved thin
• 1 cup shredded romaine or sliced Persian cucumber
• 3/4 cup whole pepperoncini, sliced into rings
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and parsley
• lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the feta sauce first: combine the crumbled feta, Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp olive oil, pepperoncini brine, 3 whole pepperoncini, Aleppo pepper and the garlic clove in a food processor or blender. Run 45–60 seconds, scraping down once, until smooth and spoonable — add water 1 tsp at a time if it's stiffer than sour cream. Taste, brighten with lemon juice, and refrigerate.
2. Grate the yellow onion on a box grater, then wring it out in a clean kitchen towel or squeeze it hard in your fist over the sink. This is the step that keeps the patties from steaming instead of browning — you want about 1/2 cup of dry pulp.
3. In a bowl, combine the lamb, squeezed onion, grated garlic, oregano, coriander, cumin, marjoram, 1 1/4 tsp salt and the black pepper. Mix vigorously with your hands for a full 60 seconds until the meat turns slightly tacky and paste-like — that emulsified texture is what gives gyro loaf its sliceable chew.
4. Divide the mixture into 8 balls and press each between your palms into a very thin oval patty, roughly 5 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Thin is the point: you're after crisp browned edges like the shavings off a spit. Set on a plate and chill 10 minutes while you prep the tomato, onion, lettuce and pepperoncini.
5. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Cook the patties in two batches, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on the first side without moving them, until deeply browned, then 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
6. Turn the heat to medium and lay a pita directly into the hot drippings in the skillet. Warm 30–45 seconds per side, pressing with a spatula so it soaks up the lamb fat and blisters in spots. Repeat with the remaining pitas, adding a splash of olive oil only if the pan goes dry. Stack them under the foil to stay pliable.
7. Slice each patty on a slight bias into 1/2-inch strips — they'll look and eat like carved gyro meat.
8. Build each pita: a generous swipe of spicy feta sauce down the center, then lettuce, tomato, shaved red onion, a quarter of the lamb strips, a big scatter of pepperoncini rings, another drizzle of feta sauce and a shower of dill and parsley. Fold tightly, wrap the bottom half in parchment or foil to hold it together, and serve with lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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