Pork Gyros Pita
Greece's favourite street wrap made at home: thin, spiced pork strips seared until crisp-edged, rolled in warm pita with tzatziki, tomato, onion and chips.
Method
Put the pork in the freezer for 20 minutes so it slices easily, then cut it across the grain into thin slices about 5 mm thick and 4–5 cm long. In a bowl, mix the pork with the olive oil, grated onion (with its juice), garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, vinegar, salt and pepper, rubbing the marinade in with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Add in this stepPork shoulder (or neck), boneless 300 gOlive oil 1¼ tbspOnion, finely grated 50 gGarlic cloves, minced 2Dried oregano 1 tspSweet paprika 1 tspGround cumin ¼ tspRed wine vinegar 1 tspSalt ½ tspBlack pepper to taste
Make the tzatziki while the meat marinates: coarsely grate the cucumber (skin on), mix it with the salt, leave it for 5 minutes, then squeeze it hard in your hands or a clean cloth until almost dry. Stir it into the yogurt with the finely grated garlic, olive oil and vinegar ( in all). Chill until serving; it tastes better after 30 minutes.
Add in this stepCucumber ½Salt (for the cucumber) 1 pinchGreek yogurt (strained, full fat) 150 gGarlic clove (for the tzatziki) 1Olive oil (for the tzatziki) 1 tbspWhite wine vinegar 1 tsp
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm thick sticks. Rinse in cold water to wash off the starch, then dry them very thoroughly with a towel; wet potatoes make hot oil spit. Pour the frying oil into a heavy 18 cm pot (no more than one-third full) and heat over medium-high heat for about until it reaches 170 °C. No thermometer? A dry wooden chopstick dipped in should be surrounded by steady small bubbles.
Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 500 ml
medium-high heatLower the potatoes in gently with a slotted spoon and fry in 1 batch(es), each, over medium heat, stirring now and then, until golden and crisp. Lift out onto a rack or paper towels and sprinkle with the salt. Never leave the pot unattended, keep children away, and if the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat. Let the oil cool completely in the pot before you dispose of it.
Add in this stepFloury potatoes 300 gSalt (for the chips) ¼ tsp
medium heatHeat a large frying pan (28 cm, cast iron if you have one) over high heat until very hot; no extra oil is needed. Spread the pork in a single layer and cook in 1 batch(es), per batch: leave it untouched for the first 2 minutes, then toss until the strips are browned with crispy edges and no pink remains inside (71 °C). Too much meat at once steams instead of browning.
high heatLightly brush the pitas with the olive oil and warm them in the same pan over medium heat for in total (about 30 seconds per side each) until soft and lightly toasted. Wrap them in a clean towel so they stay pliable.
Add in this stepOlive oil ¼ tbspGreek pita breads (thick, pocketless) 2
medium heatSpread a spoonful of tzatziki on each pita, then add the pork, the sliced tomato, the thinly sliced red onion and a few chips. Roll it up tightly, wrap the bottom half in baking paper or foil, and eat straight away.
Add in this stepTomato 1Red onion ½
Cook's tip
Thin slices and a very hot, uncrowded pan are what give gyros its crisp edges; souvlaki is cubed and skewered, gyros is sliced and seared. Chicken thighs work the same way (cook to 74 °C). Short on time? Bake the chips at 220 °C for 30–35 minutes instead of frying.
Cooking it at camp
Marinate the pork at home in a sealed bag and carry it in a well-iced cooler. At the campsite, sear it in small batches on a cast-iron griddle or pan over a strong burner. Skip deep-frying outdoors, because a pot of hot oil on a camp stove is easily knocked over; serve with crisps or foil-roasted potatoes instead, and warm the pitas on the grill.