Pratik Lavaş Üstü Kağıt Kebabı

Ingredients

• 80/20 ground chuck1 lb
• yellow onion1 med
• red bell pepper1/2 med
• jalapeño or Anaheim pepper1 med
• garlic3 med clove
• flat-leaf parsley1/4 cup
• kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
• black pepper1 tsp
• Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes1 tsp
• ground cumin1/2 tsp
• large thin flour tortillas5 large
• wooden skewers4 small
• tomato paste1 tbsp
• Turkish pepper paste1 tbsp
• neutral cooking oil1/4 cup
• warm water1/2 cup
• plain whole-milk Greek yogurt1 cup

Method

1. 01

   Squeeze every drop of liquid from your grated vegetables.

   Place the grated onion and minced peppers into a fine-mesh sieve or clean kitchen towel and wring them completely dry. American supermarket produce is notoriously water-heavy; skipping this step means your meat will steam instead of roast, and your crisp lavash will turn into an unappetizing mush.

2. 02

   Vigorously knead the meat and aromatics into a cohesive paste.

   In a large bowl, combine the drained vegetables, ground chuck, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, and cumin. Use your hands to aggressively knead the mixture for 5 to 8 minutes until the proteins bind and it turns sticky enough to hold its shape.

3. 03

   Layer the meat paste and tortillas into a five-story stack.

   Place one trimmed tortilla on a cutting board and spread a thin, even layer of the meat paste all the way to the edges, keeping it roughly the same thickness as the bread itself. Top with another tortilla and press gently, repeating until you have five layers of bread separated by four layers of meat.

4. 04

   Slice the stack into blocks and secure them with wooden skewers.

   Using a sharp knife, cut the stack straight down the middle, then crosswise to create 2-by-3-inch rectangular blocks. Thread a soaked wooden skewer horizontally through the center of each block to lock the layers in place as the meat shrinks during cooking.

5. 05

   Roast the skewered blocks on their sides in a hot oven.

   Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the blocks on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the layered cross-sections facing up, leaving a little space between each. Bake for 20 minutes until the fat renders and the exposed tortilla edges begin to brown and crisp.

6. 06

   Glaze the kebabs with a seasoned tomato and pepper paste sauce and finish baking.

   Whisk the tomato paste, pepper paste, oil, and warm water until smooth. Pull the tray from the oven, generously brush the top and sides of each kebab with the sauce, and lower the heat to 350°F. Return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes so the sugars caramelize and the meat cooks through completely.

7. 07

   Serve immediately over garlic yogurt with a drizzle of the rendered pan juices.

   Swoosh the prepared garlic yogurt onto individual plates, nestle the hot kebabs on top, and spoon those heavily spiced, fat-laden pan drippings straight over the meat. One bite of those crisp edges and deeply savory layers will transport you directly to a summer cookout in the old country.

Notes

• Elevating the meat blend.

  Standard 80/20 ground chuck is perfectly acceptable and weeknight-friendly, but if you want the gamey richness of a truly authentic Turkish kebab, swap in a quarter pound of ground lamb for an equal amount of the beef.

• Sourcing the pepper paste.

  If you cannot find Turkish biber salçası at a local Middle Eastern market, simply substitute an extra tablespoon of tomato paste mixed with a half teaspoon of sweet paprika and a tiny pinch of cayenne.