Greek Breakfast Pitas Adventure

Eating the Greek breakfast wrap at the farmers market required sitting down — and both hands.

It was the perfect flavor combination and surprisingly affordable, too. Lemony potatoes spread on a giant warm pita piled with seasoned scrambled eggs, chicken gyro strips, fresh spinach, crumbled feta, tomatoes, and a dollop of tzatziki sauce.

Then one year the Mediterranean food stand failed to return. I was on my own.

The first experimental wraps were pita pockets stuffed to the point of breaking. Guillaume and I started strong with a trip to the local Mediterranean market for the pita and some frozen gyro strips. Unfortunately we found that the garlicky meat overpowered everything else.

After yet another pita ripped and homemade dip oozed out, I decided the lemon potatoes were better as a side. This Food.com recipe has been my go-to for years now.

Out came the meat, too. Those strips weren’t helping anything. Briny Kalamata olives went in instead. While prepping the rest of the ingredients, I realized that they created a handy assemble-your own breakfast scenario. Whether making a pita just for yourself or pulling them together for a crowd, this loose recipe is definitely scalable.

I could see our vegan friends turning this into more of a lunch with red pepper hummus in place of the dip, homemade falafel instead of the eggs, and this briny tofu “feta” that sounds quite good.

To get everything going, I marinate the potatoes overnight in the fridge, pop them in the oven the next morning while it’s preheating, and then start checking after an hour. The Greek dill dip can also be made the day before.

Ingredient notes: We discovered that pita pockets vary wildly in quality. Twice we’ve bought locally made ones that were missing salt. If you’re scaling this recipe up for a crowd, go with a brand you trust or invest in some from a well-stocked Mediterranean market. Locally grown spinach tastes much better than the bagged kind, if you can find it.

Greek Breakfast Pitas with Lemon Potatoes

Makes around 4 servings

Potatoes
3 lbs. potatoes, ideally Yukon gold or another waxy kind
½ C. fresh squeezed lemon juice
⅓ C. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
1 can vegetable or chicken broth

Greek Dill Dip
7 oz. Greek yogurt, 2% or full fat
½ – 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Dried dill or fresh dill, minced
Drizzle of olive oil
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sprinkle of garlic powder

Assembly
4 large pita pockets
8 large eggs
Dried oregano, preferably Greek
Hot harissa (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whole milk or half and half
Unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1 small bunch of fresh spinach leaves
4 vine-ripe tomatoes or about half a pint of cherry tomatoes
Crumbled feta cheese
Kalamata olives, pitted

Dill dip: Add the yogurt to a small mixing bowl or glass container with a lid. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, add lemon juice and salt, and stir to combine thoroughly. Grind some pepper over the top, sprinkle generously with dried dill or at least a tablespoon of minced fresh dill.

Add a very small amount of garlic powder at the end, about a quarter teaspoon. Mix it altogether until the dip is uniform. Taste for seasoning and add more of anything that you think is missing. The dill should be prominent but not overpowering. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors meld.

Note about the garlic: I don’t enjoy raw garlic, which is why this calls for powder. If you have roasted garlic on hand, use a clove or two of that instead.

Potatoes: Peel potatoes and cut into pieces. Let them stand in cold water. Combine all the other ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Dry off the potatoes and let marinate in the ingredients for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Put potatoes and marinade in a large casserole dish. I use a 9x13-inch glass dish. Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until fork tender. Begin checking after 45 minutes. If you avoid stirring them, they’re more likely to get crispy tops. Remove from the oven to cool slightly before serving.

Greek breakfast pitas: Rinse, dry, and roughly chop the spinach leaves. Place in a bowl. Rinse, dry, and cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces; cut cherry or grape tomatoes in small pieces. Place tomatoes in a bowl. Crumble the feta cheese into a bowl. Cut olives in quarters and place them in a bowl.

Get the dill dip out of the fridge and stir it.

Cut the pita rounds in half to form two equal pockets. One whole pita — two pockets — is a decent serving size for one person. Set the pitas on a plate and either microwave them for about 25 seconds or warm them in a dry skillet on the stovetop. Some store-bought brands require more heat before they become flexible so check the package for directions.

Crack eggs carefully into a large mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Add a few splashes of milk or half-and-half, and then whisk the eggs until light and lemony in color. Optional: Mix around a tablespoon of hot harissa for a spicy kick.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and either add a little vegetable oil or melt enough butter to coat the bottom. When the pan is hot, add the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon, scrambling until cooked through. I prefer dryer scrambled eggs because that’s how Yiayia made them, but wet is fine, especially if you have really fresh eggs. Set the hot eggs off the burner and cover until serving.

To assemble: Take a warm pita pocket, spread some dip inside, add some scrambled eggs, and then top with the feta, olives, tomatoes, and spinach as desired. Serve with the warm lemon potatoes on the side.

Store any leftovers separately in the fridge.