There is this really amazing little Middle Eastern restaurant that is so close to where I work, I can see it from my office window. Their lunch menu is full of delicious classics like falafel sandwiches, gyros and kebabs. We hit it up a few weeks back, and I was immediately drawn to the specials board where something called “Pita-chos” were listed for $7.99. Pita? Nachos? What the what!? I jumped all over that and ended up getting this amazing plate set before me a few minutes later.
The iPhone photo doesn’t do them justice. They were awesome. Crunchy pita chips topped with gyro meat, tzatiki and all the standard gyro toppings. I knew from the first bite this was something I just had to recreate at home.
Like most American homes, my kitchen does not include gyro meat machine/spindle/cooker thingy (technical term). And beyond the lack of necessary equipment, I wanted my version of these nachos to be a little less heavy on the lamb. As you can tell in the pic from the restaurant, the gyro meat was the star of the dish, but I much prefer meat to play a supporting role. So in place of the mountain of gyro meatliciousness, I sprinkled on some Greek-flavored ground lamb. With less meat, I could focus on upping the beautiful, brightly-colored veggies, which I think make the dish!
This recipe makes a lot of nachos. It could easily serve four people for a fun, finger-food dinner or serve a small army as appetizers. Or, you know, serve two, very hungry Johnstons who stuff themselves sick. This recipe makes two plates the size of the one in the photos. I think these would make an awesome twist on the standard nachos for your next Stanley Cup playoffs viewing party. For example.
I think I might actually like these better than regular nachos. I feel like I’m cheating on Mexican food by saying that, but, damn, these ‘chos be rockin’.
Gyro Nachos
This recipe makes a lot of nachos. It could easily serve four people for a fun, finger-food dinner or serve a small army as appetizers.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon Cavender's Greek Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 whole wheat pitas
- Cooking spray
- 1 batch Ten Minute Tzatziki
- Favorite gyro toppings (chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes, crumbled feta, sliced black olives, chopped parsley, diced red onion)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- In a large skillet, brown ground lamb with Cavender's and oregano over medium low heat until cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Pull apart the two sides of each pita (so they are only "one ply") and using a pizza cutter, slice each into eight triangles. Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and brown.
- To assemble nachos, layer pita chips on a plate, top with lamb, tzatziki and favorite toppings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1015mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 23g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
