Recently, I have grown particularly fond of Greek cuisine and am trying to learn more about it. Gyro is a delicious dish that could be called a Greek “shawarma,” but it is much healthier and, in my opinion, much tastier.
Gyro consists of grilled meat, typically pork or chicken, wrapped in thin Greek bread called “pita.” It is usually accompanied by French fries, cucumber and tomato salad, and tzatziki sauce.
As for the tzatziki sauce, it is my favorite sauce; it is very aromatic and goes well with everything, from salads to fried potatoes.
Greek Gyro with Pork
Ingredients
Pita:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 5-6 springs of dill
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- to taste salt
Meat:
- 800 g pork
- 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- to taste salt & black pepper
Salad:
- 3 cucumbers
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 green bell peppers
- to taste salt, oregano, olive oil
Additionally:
- 1.5 kg potatoes
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- to taste salt
Instructions
- To prepare the pita, add yeast and sugar to warm water that is slightly hot to the touch, then sift in half a cup of flour and mix with a wooden whisk. Place the mixture in a warm spot to rise for 15 minutes. Once it has risen, add olive oil, salt, and the remaining flour. Knead into a soft dough, transfer to an oiled bowl, and brush a bit of oil on the surface to prevent it from drying out. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours. After the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal parts. Roll each ball into a 4-5 mm thick circle and bake on a hot pan until slightly browned on each side. When each side is slightly browned, the pita is ready.
- To prepare the tzatziki sauce, add finely grated garlic, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and finely chopped dill to the strained yogurt. Peel the cucumber, cut it lengthwise, and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Grate half of the cucumber into the sauce. Mix well, and the tzatziki sauce is ready.
- Cut the tender pork into 2 cm thick slices, and coat each side with Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Fry in a hot pan on both sides. Once cooked, slice the meat into thin pieces.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2 cm thick slices. Add salt and oil, and mix well. I baked the potatoes, which is a healthier option, but you can fry them in plenty of oil if you prefer. If you decide to bake them, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius until done.
- For the salad: Cut the cucumber and tomato, add the chopped onion and julienned bell pepper, sprinkle with salt, oregano, and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well.
- You can assemble the gyro in two ways: one option is to wrap it in pita, and the other is to assemble it on a plate.
- When preparing it in pita, place the meat slices on the pita bread, top with baked potatoes and salad, drizzle with tzatziki sauce, and it's ready.Καλή όρεξη! Enjoy your meal!
