The Tzaziki Burger

Ingredients

1 ½ cups warm water 100-110◦ F
¼ oz package rapid rise yeast
5 cups bread flour, 3 ½ cups for flat bread, 1 ½ cups for flouring surface
1 teaspoon sugar
3 ¼ teaspoons salt: 1 teaspoon for Flat-bread, 1/4 teaspoon for Tzaziki sauce, 1/3 teaspoon for each burger patty.
3 ½ oz olive oil for grill: 2oz for the grill, 1oz to grease the bread dough bowl and muffin tin, ½ oz for Tzaziki sauce
¼ large of an English cucumber (a plain cucumber is fine)
1 tablespoon dill
1 clove garlic finely minced
6oz Greek style plain yogurt (or plain yogurt)
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 1/8 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper: a pinch for tzaziki sauce, 1/3 teaspoons for each burger patty.
2 roma tomatoes
1 small red onion
2 lbs ground brisket
3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

 

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium high. In a small sauce pan, with a heat resistant handle, heat the water to 110F on the grill. Measure the temperature with a thermometer. In a food processor equipped with a metal blade, combine the yeast and the water pulsing 5 or 6 times to fully mix. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until foamy. In a large glass mixing bowl combine 3 ½ cups flour sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour half of the flour mixture into the food processor and pulse until incorporated. Add the remaining dry mix and pulse until a ball of dough forms. Use the remaining flour to dust a working surface for the dough (a little at a time). Remove the dough from the food processor, and lightly knead it on the floured surface to form a neat ball. Lightly grease the inside of the large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Roll it around to slightly coat the dough with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, peal and cut the cucumber into pieces, chop the dill, and finely mince the garlic. Combine the cucumber, dill and garlic with the yogurt in a food processor. Add ½ teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Blend into a creamy, yet chunky consistency by pulsing the food processor a couple of times. Cover and set aside in the icebox.

Slice the tomatoes 1/8 inch thick, slice the red onion very thinly. Cover the tomato and onion and set aside.

Divide the ground brisket into 6 equal portions each weighing 1/3 pound and roll into balls. Be careful not to overwork the beef. Flatten each to 4 1/2 inches round on wax paper. Salt and pepper both sides, and cover with plastic and set aside.

Heat the grill to medium high.

The flatbread dough should have more than doubled in size after it has risen for 1 ½ hours. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 equal balls, kneading each lightly to punch out the air. Keep separated by placing the balls in a muffin tin lightly greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow setting an additional 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball out flat about 4 ½ inches to an imperfect round, and sprinkle half with a pinch of black sesame seeds, pressing the seeds into the surface of the dough with a rolling pin.

The bread cooks quickly directly on the grill. Place the rolled-out flat-bread dough carefully on the grill sesame side down, if they have them, and watch closely. The bread should get nice browned grill marks but should not blacken. Each of the breads will need to be flipped after about one minute. Continue grilling on the other side for another minute. Remove the flatbread from the gill, and cover them to retain the heat and moisture.

Maintain the heat at medium high and apply olive oil to keep the grill lightly greased.

Place each of the hamburger patties on the grill. Leave them alone for 3 ½ minutes, then give them a 90 degree turn and allow to grill for another 3 ½ minutes. Flip the burger over and repeat this on the other side.

Spread a generous ounce of tzaziki sauce on each pita. The top “buns” are the pitas sprinkled with black sesame seeds, so don’t put tzaziki on this side. Place a hamburger patty on each of the pitas without sesame seeds. Add 2 slices tomato and 3 red onion slices. Top with the flat-breads, showing the sesame seed side up.