Gyros

Directions

1. Make the salsa first, and set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, scallion, parsley, mint, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, salt, and cayenne pepper. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together well. Form 7 to 8 cylinders (about the size of a sausage), 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.

3. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet on high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and heat until it starts to smoke. Add the lamb, and turn the heat down to medium. Sauté, turning every minute, for about 12 minutes. Remove from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

4. Brush the pita bread lightly on both sides with the remainder of the oil. To heat the bread, using tongs, hold each piece over a gas burner set to low, and move it back and forth for 20 seconds on each side, until heated through. Be careful not to burn it. Place the bread on a plate, and cover to keep warm.

5. To assemble the gyros, slice the lamb into long, ¼-inch-thick slices. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of tzatziki spread over each piece of warm pita bread. Add a handful of lettuce and ¼ cup of Greek salsa. Place the sliced lamb on top.

6. Lay a square of foil in front of you on a cutting board with one of the corners at the bottom (so the square looks like a diamond shape). Fold the top half over 3 inches. Place a folded gyro on the foil, leaving 2 inches of foil showing on the bottom. Fold the bottom 2 inches of the foil over the bottom of the gyro. Fold the sides over the gyro, first the left, then the right to make a leak-resistant pouch. Enjoy!

Recipe Excerpted from Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love.Copyright 2011 by Sterling Epicure. Excerpted with permission of Sterling Epicure.