After weeks of weather changing from too hot to too rainy, we used a chance and submitted our holidays. We had enough of that Summer. Adventure- here we come. Our destination- the North!

We started packing our suitcases, charging the batteries and even organised watering service for our plants. But there is always something we forget, be it food, wallet or a spare pair of shoes. This time it was the fridge. Not that we wanted to take it with us, but the inside was still filled with goods with expiration dates during our absence. Paprika or tomatoes wouldn’t be much of a problem, since we normally take some homemade sandwiches for the road- very handy if you’re stuck in traffic. But this time we were a little bit more spontanous planning our holiday and still had some meat and other veggies in the fridge. We only planned to be away for a week, but still. The last day before the trip we tried to eat as much of our stock as we could. We ate our fruits and yoghurts and made this gyros casserole dinner. Wasn’t sure if I should post it, but it proved to be a really good and easy meal. And price worthy too.

Serves 2-4

Preparation time: 10min                                                                Cooking time: 20min

1 small or half a cabbage

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 pack of feta cheese

300g chicken breast

2 onions

1 garlic clove

500g yoghurt

½ cucumber

oil

few sprigs of fresh mint, or 1 tsp dried

few sprigs of fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried

1 tbsp gyros spice (which you can also put together yourself. Below is what you need)

 

For the gyros spice you need: 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp dried thyme, 2 tsp chili flakes,1 tsp ground cumin,2 tsp dried marjoram, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp ground sweet paprika, 1 tsp ground onion, 1 tsp ground garlic, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¾ tsp salt. Combine all the spices together and you’re ready to go.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (circulating air 160ºC).

Wash the cabbage, halve it and cut in thin stripes. Wash the peppers, remove the core and cut in stripes. Peel the onion and chop. Place all the veggies in an oil smeared oven proof dish, sprinkle with half of the gyros spice, pour 2 tbsp of oil and mix well. Place the dish in the oven and bake for ca 15min.

Peel the onion and cut in stripes. Clean the chicken of excessive fat and cut in short stripes. Place the chicken on a plate and season with the remaining gyros spice and 2 tbsp oil and mix well. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the onion. Fry until golden brown. Add the meat and fry for ca 7 min. Set aside.

When the vegetables are ready, take them out, and spread the meat and feta cubes over them evenly. Mix and put back in the oven for another 10min.

For the tzatziki:

Wash the cucumber, but don’t peel it. Cut it lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and grate on grater with big holes. Place in a sieve, sprikle with pinch of salt and let it drain. Peel the garlic clove and mince it. Put it in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of oil. Stir well. Chop the mint leaves and dill. Squeeze the rest of the water from the cucumber and place it in a bigger bowl with yoghurt. Combine everything until evenly mixed.

Serve the casserole on its own or paired with pita bread and tzatziki.