Pita! Pita! Pita!

You probably didn't know it, but the glory that was Greece nestles inside a pita bun. Baked long before "bread" was conceived as a loaf, the flat, hollow pita, now found throughout the Middle East, has opened up a new world of easy, delicious eating. You can provide your pita mates with a luscious variety of hot and cold Greek-inspired comestibles from which to choose what they want--in any combination--following the whims of their appetites. Then they stuff it inside the pita horn of plenty, which can be purchased fresh in almost all specialty food shops.

The joy of the pita is that it's not merely a sandwich but a feast--a delightful repository of Greek cuisine. For openers, think of young lamb, marinated in oil, marjoram, mint and pepper, gently grilled over white-hot coals; or marble-size beef-and-eggplant balls; or chilled, thinly sliced cucumbers, radishes and scallions in a cold yoghurt dressing; or an incomparable garlic sauce that includes pine nuts and olive oil. Almost any Greek specialty will work, be it sliced, diced, minced, (continued on page 100) Pita! (continued from page 95) marinated, herbed, puréed, grilled, poured, blended--or simply fashioned--so it can slide easily into a tender pita pocketbook.

Many travelers returning from Greece remember best the fragrance of succulent Greek lamb revolving on a spit, its heady aroma often meeting their nostrils before they arrived at the busy Greek pita shop where cooks were carving the meat for pita freaks. In metropolitan U.S.A., such shops are called gyro--meaning circle within which a chunk of beef and lamb revolves--and they're popping up faster than bay leaves in a Greek garden. But their limited offerings only begin to approach the pita's culinary possibilities. Lamb, of course, is the Greek mainstay, although beef and some pork appear in tender meatballs and sausages. It must be spring lamb, with no hint of strong muttony overtones; tomatoes should be firm and ripe and greens should be garden fresh; oil must be pressed from the olive. The best of Greek cuisine depends not only on the quality of the raw produce but upon traditional details adhered to in native Greek kitchens: the bold use of herbs such as mint, bay leaf, oregano, thyme and parsley; the rich purplish-black Kalamata olives; the feta (ewe's-milk) cheese that serves as the base of most salads or the wonderful kasseri (ewe's- or goat's-milk) cheese with its subtle almondlike flavor. You'll have to go to a specialty cheese shop or a Greek grocer to find kasseri.

When it comes to party protocol, the pita is simplicity itself. Although it's supposed to be dripless, the sauces in it can overflow at times if the pita is overstuffed; so big napkins are the only essential tableware appointment. Plates may be provided, but most people regard them as a fifth wheel; knives and forks are superfluous. Guests might relax around a dinner table, sit against a terrace wall or stretch out on the floor or at poolside.

At party's start, one should offer clear Greek ouzo, a lively spirit with anise as its dominant flavor blended with about ten other spices. Ouzo reminds most Americans of the French pastis or Pernod. In Greece, the sidewalk crowd tends to sip it straight; most Americans prefer it mixed with ice water or on the rocks. Diluted, it turns milky. Although its anise flavor is reminiscent of a liqueur, it doesn't commit mayhem on your taste buds or appetite and seems to make the slightly bitter Greek olives and the herb-scented lamb even more tempting--if possible. Regarding Greek, resin-flavored retsina wine, you can take it or leave it, and most Americans, after the first sip, choose the latter, although it's amazing how retsina converts will tolerate no other table wine. Tankards of beer, the bigger the better, seem to be the perfect accompaniment for most pita partisans. After dinner, it would be difficult to improve upon a pony of Metaxa brandy, poured over shaved ice.

• • •

You should provide at least two pitas per person, and they should be about seven inches in diameter, so that, when they're cut in half for the filling, they'll be comfortably sized Mediterranean heroes. Pitas should be wrapped in aluminum foil, warmed in a moderate (350°) oven for 10--15 minutes before they're brought to the buffet table. Since hot and cold foods will join one another inside the pita, it's important that hot foods be offered quickly after they're taken off the fire or reheated; during the party, they should be kept over a trivet flame or buffet hot plate. The portions that follow are for four hefty servings. How much or how little of each you'll wish to enjoy is a matter of knowing your friends. Sage advice was given centuries ago by the scholar Athenaeus, a specialist in Greek cooking, who wrote:

Know then the cook, a dinner that's bespoke

Aspiring to prepare, with prescient zeal,

Should know the tastes and humors of the guests.

[recipe_title]Roast marinated leg of Lamb[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3-lb. half leg of lamb, boned and tied for roasting[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large onion, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large cloves garlic, slightly smashed 1/4 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons fresh thyme, very finely minced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon oregano[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon cracked bay leaves[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, freshly ground pepper[/recipe]

Place lamb in bowl with onion, garlic, oil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and lemon juice. Rub herbs into meat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover bowl tightly with clear-plastic wrap and marinate overnight. Preheat charcoal fire in stove outfitted with rotisserie or use electric rotisserie. Remove lamb from marinade and fasten on spit. Roast approximately 1 1/2 hours. Rotisserie may be stopped after 1 hour and meat thermometer inserted to test doneness of meat; it should not be roasted to the overdone stage. Slice meat thin for pita.

[recipe_title]Peppered lamb Kabobs[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3-lb. half leg of lamb, boned[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large green peppers, 3/4-in. squares[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon marjoram[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons dried mint leaves, crushed[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, pounded in mortar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons salt[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons dry white wine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup butter, soft enough to spread easily[/recipe]

Cut lamb into cubes no more than 3/4 in. thick. They should not be as large as regular shish kabob. Place lamb in bowl with green peppers, oil, marjoram, mint, ground pepper, cumin and salt. Toss well. Add wine and lemon juice and toss well. Cover bowl tightly with clear-plastic wrap and marinate overnight. Fasten lamb and green peppers alternately on skewers. Prepare charcoal fire outdoors or in fire-place or preheat broiler. Broil until lamb is medium brown. Brush with butter just before serving.

[recipe_title]Beef-and-Eggplant Balls[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 lb. boneless beef round[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup peeled, diced eggplant[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size onion, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 egg, slightly beaten[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup bread crumbs[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon marjoram[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon parsley, very finely minced Olive oil[/recipe]

Place eggplant in pan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil. Cover pan and simmer until eggplant is very tender. Drain well. Put beef, eggplant and onion through meat grinder, using fine blade. In mixing bowl, combine ground ingredients with egg, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, marjoram and parsley. Chill mixture about a half hour. It should be firm enough to shape; add more bread crumbs if it is too soft to handle. Shape into uniform balls no more than 3/4 in. in diameter. Sauté in oil until browned. Do not crowd pan while sautéing; pan may be covered to prevent spattering fat.

[recipe_title]White-Bean Salad[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/2 lb. pea beans[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, white pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 bay leaf[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large tomato, peeled and seeded[/recipe]

[recipe]6 Kalamata olives in oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 hard-boiled egg, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size onion, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons parsley, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon dill, minced extremely fine[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

Wash beans well in cold water. Remove any defective beans or foreign matter. Drain. Place in saucepan and cover with 3 cups cold water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and bay leaf. Bring to boil; simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let (concluded on page 167) Pita! (continued from page 100) beans stand, covered, 1 hour. (This step eliminates overnight soaking of beans.) Again bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender--1 1/2 to 2 hours. Do not undercook. Add more water, if necessary, to keep beans covered during cooking. Drain well. Remove bay leaf. Chop tomato coarsely. Remove pits from olives and chop coarsely. In salad bowl, combine beans, tomato, olives, egg, onion, parsley, dill and olive oil. Toss well. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Chill thoroughly. Just before serving, add more oil or lemon juice, if desired.

[recipe_title]Greek salad for Pita[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 quart mixed greens (lettuce, romaine, escarole, water cress, etc.)[/recipe]

[recipe]8 Kalamata olives[/recipe]

[recipe]4 ozs. feta or kasseri cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]8 anchovy fillets, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very finely minced parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]4 scallions, white and green parts, very thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely minced Olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, freshly ground pepper Red-wine vinegar[/recipe]

Wash and dry greens. Use a paper towel, if necessary; there should not be a droplet of water left. Cut greens into thin strips. Drain olives. Crumble feta cheese or shred kasseri cheese through large holes of metal grater. Place greens, olives, cheese, anchovies, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, scallions and mint in salad bowl and toss. Add 3 tablespoons oil and toss till all ingredients are thoroughly coated with oil. (If Kalamata olives are packed in oil only, 1 tablespoon of this oil may be included.) Add more oil, if desired. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar or more to taste. Toss thoroughly. Chill well.

[recipe_title]Cucumber-and-radish salad with yoghurt[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 medium-size cucumber[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup thinly sliced red radishes[/recipe]

[recipe]2 scallions, very thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very finely minced fresh mint[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups yoghurt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size clove garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, white pepper[/recipe]

Peel cucumber and cut into 1/4-in. dice. Combine cucumber, radishes, scallions, mint, yoghurt, oil and lemon juice. Force garlic through garlic press into mixture. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill well.

[recipe_title]Garlic sauce with pine nuts[/recipe_title]

(1-1/2 cups sauce)

[recipe]1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted[/recipe]

[recipe]2 slices stale white bread[/recipe]

[recipe]1 egg[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup lemon juice or white vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 or 3 large cloves garlic[/recipe]

If pine nuts (pignolias) are not toasted, place in moderate oven 5 to 8 minutes until they turn light yellow (they should not be browned), then cool. Place in blender and blend until they are finely pulverized. Soak bread in cold water. Squeeze gently to remove excess water. Break into small pieces. Add egg, oil, lemon juice, salt and sugar to blender and blend until smooth. Add bread. Force garlic through garlic press into blender and blend until smooth. Add more salt, if desired. Chill well. As sauce stands, it tends to become thicker. Thin with cold water or lemon juice, or both, if desired.

Now, all you have to do is enjoy yourself--for pita's sake!