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Leftover Lamb 'Gyros'

Using leftover roast meat and warming it with herbs and seasonings means that the classic pita wrapped sandwich is just moments away. Adding all the fresh veg, tzatziki and next thing you know you have a tasty sandwich that is really a feast!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek, Middle Eastern
Keyword gyros, lamb, pita bread, roast pork, tzatziki
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

This is more of a method than an actual recipe

  • 4 pita breads or flatbreads

Meat

  • 1 2/3 cups or so of thinly sliced leftover roast lamb roast pork, roast chicken or roast beef
  • 1-2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fresh chopped oregano or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 3/4 tsp fresh chopped thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 3/4 tsp fresh chopped rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • salt
  • pepper
  • lemon juice

Vegetables

  • 1 large ripe tomato sliced
  • 1 medium red onion sliced thinly
  • 1/2 English cucumber sliced thinly
  • 2 baby gems lettuces leaves separated

Tzatziki (made in advance and stored in the fridge; see Notes for Recipe link)

Instructions

Warm the pita bread or flatbread

  1. Warm the oven to 350F. Take a large piece of parchment paper and run it under the tap to dampen all over. Scrunch it together to take the crispness out of the paper and then wring it to get rid of the excess water. Pile the breads on top of each other and wrap the pile of bread with the parchment paper all around them, tucking the ends under. Place this into the warmed oven and warm, letting the steam from the parchment warm the bread through. After 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven, the paper will be dry, but the breads will be nice and soft inside. Remove from the oven. Keep wrapped till ready to use.

'Gyros' the Meat

  1. Meanwhile prepare the meat by tossing the sliced meat in a bowl with olive oil, fresh herbs, cumin, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the meat well.
  2. Warm a skillet (or your grill and a grilling tray or basket) over medium high heat. Add the meat and warm it through. You don't need to cook this meat, since it is already cooked. Rather you are really only warming it through and giving it the flavour of gyros meat. Remove to a plate and drizzle with fresh lemon juice from 1/4 lemon or so.
  3. Have the tomato, onion, cucumber sliced up. You can season them with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
  4. Have the Tzatziki sauce ready to go as well.

Assemble

  1. Spread a little tzatziki all over the inside of the warmed pita bread. Layer some lettuce leaves down the middle of the pita bread. Then layer some of the meat, tomatoes, onion and cucumber over the meat. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and more tzatziki if you want. Wrap firmly and eat!

  2. Feel free to use more than described above, or add other ingredients, such as listed below

Recipe Notes

Labneh Tzatziki, link here

Optional Additions
Hummus, link here
Malfouf Salad (Lebanese coleslaw), link here
Tabbouleh