Greece is worldwide known for its PITA GYROS, the popular fast food usually made with slices of spicy meat (pork, chicken or lamb), sauce, lettuce, tomato and french fries, all wrapped in a flat round bread called πίτα = pita. Pitas can also be filled with a σουβλάκι = souvlaki (grilled pieces of meat), instead of the spicy meat slices. But it's still meat, so our choices are not very optimistic.
But given that pita bread is a traditional, delicious and very light bread (have a look in Wikipedia), maybe we can do something with it.
Let's stop complaining about the menus and make our own vegan pita. Better. Healthier. Cheaper. And yummy!
All you need is to get a couple of pieces of pita bread; you can buy them at the supermarket or from the place where your non vegan friends usually order their meals. The right name is ζυμάρι, as pita is also the name given to any sweet and/or salty pies, such as cheese pie = tiropita, and apple pie = milopita, and many others.
Simaria are usually made of wheat flour, and cooked on the charcoal. Don't forget to ask for a whole piece, because otherwise they'll serve it chopped in four quarters.
So, we already have the simari... now, let's have a look in the kitchen. I found an aubergine (Eggplant in the U.S.) and a tomato. Hummmm...
You just need to cut them in slices and fry them on the pan or the grill, with some sea salt and spices (I used turmeric, parsley, garlic and black pepper), adding a teaspoon of olive oil just at the end Five minutes are more than enough for each.
Then, heat the simari in the same pan and place the slices of veggies on it. Tomato on the left, aubergine on the right. Like this:
Fold it and this is the result. Easy, isn't it? Already starving? Me too!
PS: Sorry for the bite on the simari, I couldn't wait! ;)
These are the ingredients:
- 1 simari (pita bread)
- 1 medium sized aubergine (eggplant)
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 piece of garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- A pinch of salt. I like using salt from the Atlantic Ocean because it's rich in magnesium.
- Turmeric, black pepper,
1. Cut the aubergine in slices, add some salt and let them aside on some kitchen paper. This way the eggplant won't be so bitter.
2. Grill them or fry them on the pan without any oil until they are golden in both sides. Flatten them with a skimmer so they will cook faster. Once they are ready, keep them in a plate.
3. Cut the tomato in thick slices. Add a little bit of oil in the pan, add the garlic and fry the tomato slices when the oil is very hot. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric. Tip them over only once and be careful not to break them. Remove them when they are very well cooked, and keep them in a plate.
4. Turn the burner off and heat one side of the simari in the pan.
5. Place the aubergine slices in one side of the simari, the tomato on the other and spread the parsley over them. Fold it. Serve it. Enjoy it!
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| Huge pork meat gyros in Thessaloniki. |
Let's stop complaining about the menus and make our own vegan pita. Better. Healthier. Cheaper. And yummy!
All you need is to get a couple of pieces of pita bread; you can buy them at the supermarket or from the place where your non vegan friends usually order their meals. The right name is ζυμάρι, as pita is also the name given to any sweet and/or salty pies, such as cheese pie = tiropita, and apple pie = milopita, and many others.
 |
| Piece of simari in a salad. |
Simaria are usually made of wheat flour, and cooked on the charcoal. Don't forget to ask for a whole piece, because otherwise they'll serve it chopped in four quarters.
So, we already have the simari... now, let's have a look in the kitchen. I found an aubergine (Eggplant in the U.S.) and a tomato. Hummmm...
You just need to cut them in slices and fry them on the pan or the grill, with some sea salt and spices (I used turmeric, parsley, garlic and black pepper), adding a teaspoon of olive oil just at the end Five minutes are more than enough for each.
Then, heat the simari in the same pan and place the slices of veggies on it. Tomato on the left, aubergine on the right. Like this:
 |
| My First Vegan Pita: aubergine, tomato and simari. |
Fold it and this is the result. Easy, isn't it? Already starving? Me too!
 |
| Dying to taste My First Vegan Pita. |
PS: Sorry for the bite on the simari, I couldn't wait! ;)
These are the ingredients:
- 1 simari (pita bread)
- 1 medium sized aubergine (eggplant)
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 piece of garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- A pinch of salt. I like using salt from the Atlantic Ocean because it's rich in magnesium.
- Turmeric, black pepper,
1. Cut the aubergine in slices, add some salt and let them aside on some kitchen paper. This way the eggplant won't be so bitter.
2. Grill them or fry them on the pan without any oil until they are golden in both sides. Flatten them with a skimmer so they will cook faster. Once they are ready, keep them in a plate.
3. Cut the tomato in thick slices. Add a little bit of oil in the pan, add the garlic and fry the tomato slices when the oil is very hot. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric. Tip them over only once and be careful not to break them. Remove them when they are very well cooked, and keep them in a plate.
4. Turn the burner off and heat one side of the simari in the pan.
5. Place the aubergine slices in one side of the simari, the tomato on the other and spread the parsley over them. Fold it. Serve it. Enjoy it!
 |
| My First Vegan Pita... Bon appetit! |
