Souvlaki, Tzatziki & Pita

 

Souvlaki

4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1kg), cut in bite size chunks

1/2 cup (4 tablespoons) olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano

salt & pepper to taste

2 red bell peppers, cut in pieces

1. if using wooden skewers, place them in water for about 30 minutes

2. in a big bowl, mix chicken chunks with the marinade ingredients. Cover and place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes

3. thread chicken pieces on skewers alternating with bell pepper

4. cook on the grill for 8-10 minutes turning occasionally 

Tzatziki

1 cucumber, peeled

1 tablespoons white vinegar

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil

18 ounces (500g) greek yogurt

1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

salt & freshly ground pepper

fresh dill (optional)

1. grate cucumber. Add a pinch of salt and the white vinegar. Let it sit for 30 minutes

2. wrap the grated cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze to get rid of excess liquid

3. mix cucumber with garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar and yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add dill if using. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Pita

2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, room temperature

1/3 cup (80ml) water, room temperature

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 3/4 cups (350g) bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

olive oil for frying

1. mix milk, water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes. Mix in olive oil

2. mix flour, thyme leaves and salt. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and mix until well incorporated, either by hand on a floured surface, or with a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Should the dough be too wet, add more flour (The dough should not stick to your hands)

3. brush a bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour

4. punch dough down to release all air bubbles. Cut into 6 equal pieces

5. place pieces of dough on a lightly oiled surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of dough to an 8" (20cm round) Roll out one pita at a time, and then fry it while rolling out the next pita. Fry on a frying pan with a couple of drops of olive oil for 1-2 minutes per side until nicely browned