Greek Meatball Pitas
4

Serves 4

Savory beef meatballs makes this a satisfying sandwich for lunch or a light dinner. Adding bread soaked in milk to the meat mixture keeps meatballs moist and tender; this recipe uses some of the pita tops, sometimes discarded, for just that purpose.  We include instructions for making quick tzatziki (Greek yogurt sauce), but you can purchase prepared tzatziki if you prefer.

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    Ingredients: 
    • Spray oil
    • 4 whole grain pita breads
    • 1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk
    • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
    • 3 tablespoons grated onion
    • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
    • 3/4 (6 ounce) cup Greek yogurt
    • 1/2 cup grated peeled seedless cucumber
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tomato, diced
    • 1 cup finely sliced romaine lettuce
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    Method: 

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray oil a small baking sheet.

    Cut the top third off pitas. Tear 2 of the tops into pieces with your fingers and place the pieces in a small bowl; save the remaining 2 pita tops for another use. Add milk to the bowl and let bread soak until very soft, about 15 minutes.Combine beef, onion, oregano, allspice, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. With your hands, gently squeeze excess milk from pita tops; add bread to bowl with meat; discard milk. Mix with your hands or a rubber spatula until well combined. Form the mixture into 16 balls, each about the size of a ping-pong ball. Place on baking sheet and bake, shaking the pan once or twice, until browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

    Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber and lemon juice in a small bowl. Fill each pita with tomato, lettuce and 4 meatballs. Spoon yogurt sauce on top to taste.

    Nutritional Info: 
    Per Serving:350 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 714mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 29g protein
    Special Diets: 

    Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information. See our Terms of Service.

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