Ingredients: (serves 1)

• 3 tbsp olive oil, I like to use a good one for the salad topping

• 1/3 lb minced lamb

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp marjoram

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 flat bread or, I like to use a garlic flatbread pita

• 1 red onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/4 English cucumber, diced

• 100 ml greek yogurt

• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill

• 1 tomato, finely diced

• 2 tbsp kalamata olives finely diced

• 2 tbsp, chopped parsley

• 1-2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled

• salt and pepper to taste

Kit Needed:

1 pan (at least 7-8 inches, preferably nonstick). Any stove will work, but you will need high heat, a spatula, a spoon, and two cups (one for the tzatziki and one for the salad topping).

Packing Tips:

Prepare and freeze the lamb mince the night before you leave. The greek yogurt goes into a container large enough to make the tzatziki. All the ingredients then go into a large ziplock bag (this does get reused often if it is not used as a garbage bag)

Method:

Lamb Mince

To 1/3lb of lamb mince add half the red onion, soy sauce, oregano, cumin, marjoram, red pepper flake, 1 tbsp parsley and 1tsp of olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper. Mix the lamb with your hand to combine all the ingredients. Shape into an egg shape and place into a freezer safe bag. If preparing it for a camp place this into the freezer.

Tzatziki

Add 1-2 tbsp of finely diced cucumber to the greek yogurt along with, 1 clove of minced garlic, 0.5 - 1 tbsp finely chopped dill (depends on my mood), and a squeeze of lemon. Mix till incorporated and salt and pepper to taste. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge to save time at camp.

Salad Topping

Combine 2 tbsp diced cucumber, 2 tbsp diced red onion, and 2 tbsp diced tomatoes (I like equal parts of these three ingredients; these are approximate amounts I used at camp). Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix to combine, then salt and pepper to taste.

I like to make this just before I cook the lamb so the salad stays fresh and crunchy; if you make it too far in advance it will become watery and mushy.

Preparing your Smashed Pita

1. Place the minced lamb in the center of a pita. Heat a pan (nonstick is best) until hot, then set the pita in the pan with the lamb side down. Press the pita firmly into the meat with a flat surface (a kettle base works well when camping) so the lamb spreads into a thin, even “pancake” against the pita. If you’re cooking at camp, it’s often easiest to do the pressing on the ground rather than directly on the stove.

2. Cook over high heat until the lamb is fully done. Gently lift the pita without separating it completely to check that the meat touching the bread is no longer pink. When you have a good sear, flip the pita so the lamb side is facing up and toast the pita for about a minute; this step also helps finish cooking the lamb. Remove from the heat.

3. Top the lamb with plenty of tzatziki and your salad mix, and sprinkle crumbled feta if you like. Fold the pita like a soft taco and enjoy. It can get messy (especially for kids!) so feel free to eat this with a knife and fork.