Who said casual weeknight-entertaining has to be boring?

This simple yet wow-worthy recipe is sure to please your guests and get rave reviews.  Grilled beef patties, kofte, are layered on lightly toasted pita bread and covered in tomato sauce, a garlicky yogurt sauce, chili oil and an array of optional garnishes.

Prepare kofte mixture and refrigerate until ready to use – this allows enough time for flavors to blend.

then make tomato sauce

and whisk together garlic-yogurt sauce

Here I have used Greek pita bread cut into wedges.  You can use Arabic pita bread, any flatbread or a thick pide bread loaf.

Do not make too much chili oil, you only need a light drizzle.

Adding toasted pine nuts (not included in photo) adds some crunch and a whole lot of flavor to this dish.

GRILLED BEEF PATTIES WITH TOMATO SAUCE + YOGURT ON PITA BREAD

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kofte:
16 oz minced beef
fresh breadcrumbs
water or milk
olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
garlic, minced
a handful of parsley
salt and black pepper
red Aleppo pepper
cumin, optional

tomato sauce:
tomatoes, peeled, processed to an almost puree
jalapeno chili pepper, minced
olive oil
salt and black pepper
red Aleppo pepper
red pepper paste
1 teaspoon sugar

yogurt sauce:
thick strained yogurt, stirred
garlic, minced
sea salt

chili oil:
butter
Aleppo pepper
red pepper flakes
paprika

pita bread or naan, lightly toasted, or a large pide loaf
pine nuts, cooked in butter until fragrant and golden
sumac, optional
parsley, optional

Prepare kofte. Add breadcrumbs, water or milk and olive oil into a bowl and stir to combine. In a food processor, pulse remaining patty ingredients, except beef, then add to bowl. Using your fingertips, mix in minced beef until just blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare tomato sauce. Heat olive oil in pan until it starts to smoke. Add tomatoes and jalapeno and stir-cook on high for two minutes. Add spices, pepper paste and sugar and cook on medium-high until tomatoes are cooked down and oil starts to separate to the sides of the pan.

Prepare yogurt sauce. Whisk together yogurt, garlic and salt.

Prepare chili oil. Heat butter in a small saucepan; being careful not to brown. Add Aleppo pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika. Cook for a few seconds until fragrant an immediately remove from heat.

Cut pita bread or naan bread into wedges, or if using a pide loaf, into medium-sized squares and lightly toast in the oven or on the grill. Equally, toast pine nut until nicely golden; either in the oven or in a pan over the grill with a tiny bit of oil or butter.

Meanwhile, shape minced beef mixture into long oval patties and broil in the oven or grill outdoors.

When ready to serve make sure main dish components are hot, except yogurt sauce and layer onto a plate as follows: bread wedges, tomato sauce, kofte patties, yogurt sauce, chili oil and toasted pine nuts. You can top it off with a dash of sumac and/or fresh parsley flakes if you want.