Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Shrimp Souvlaki with Whipped Feta and Pita
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 minutes (plus 1 hour dough prove)
20 minutes
About 2 hours (including proving)
Serves:
4 servings (8 skewers)
Ted created this dish for MasterChef ™ Season 16. Representing Greece in the Global Gauntlet opener, he set lemon-oregano prawn skewers seared on screaming-hot cast iron over a base of airy whipped feta, finished with blistered tomatoes and pita griddled from scratch on the same pan. Gordon Ramsay p...
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Ingredients
FOR THE PITA
2½ cups (300 g) strong bread flour, plus extra for rolling
1¼ tsp (4 g) SAF Red Instant Yeast
1 tsp (4 g) sugar
1 tsp (6 g) salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, about 105°F/40°C
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
FOR THE SHRIMP SOUVLAKI
1½ lb (700 g) large shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined, tails on (16–20 count), patted very dry
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp dried Greek oregano (rigani), crushed between the fingers
½ tsp sweet paprika
¾ tsp (4 g) salt, plus more to finish
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp (14 g) butter, for basting
FOR THE WHIPPED FETA
8 oz (225 g) Greek feta, brine-packed and drained
3 oz (85 g) cream cheese (or thick Greek yogurt), at room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated (optional)
Pinch of white pepper
FOR THE BLISTERED TOMATOES & TO FINISH
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
2 cups (300 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Small handful fresh oregano or dill, to garnish
Lemon wedges, to serve
EQUIPMENT
Large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan (essential)
Metal skewers, or bamboo skewers soaked 30 minutes
Stand mixer with dough hook, or a bowl for hand-kneading
Microplane or fine grater
Tongs and a pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer (optional)
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE PITA DOUGH
In a stand-mixer bowl, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix with the dough hook (or by hand) for 6–8 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky. Cover and prove in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled. Make-ahead: the dough can prove slowly in the fridge overnight — the home cook's advantage over the competition clock.
STEP 2: MARINATE THE SHRIMP
Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp through and marinate 20–30 minutes — no longer, as the acid will begin to “cook” them. Thread onto skewers, 4–5 per skewer, leaving a little space between each so they sear rather than steam. Reserve the leftover marinade for basting.
STEP 3: WHIP THE FETA
Crumble the drained feta into a food processor with the cream cheese (or yogurt), olive oil, lemon juice, optional garlic and white pepper. Blend for 1–2 minutes, scraping down, until completely smooth, airy and spreadable. Taste — good feta is salty, so it rarely needs more. Chill until serving, then bring back to cool room temperature before plating so it spreads.
STEP 4: SHAPE AND REST THE PITA
Knock back the dough and divide into 4 (for larger pita) or 6 pieces. Shape into balls, cover, and rest 10–15 minutes — this relaxes the gluten so they roll out without springing back. Roll each into a round about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick on a lightly floured surface.
STEP 5: GRIDDLE THE PITA
Heat the dry cast-iron pan over medium-high until very hot. Cook each pita 1–2 minutes per side: it will bubble, puff and take on golden-brown blisters. Stack the cooked breads under a clean towel to keep them soft and warm. Wipe the pan ready for the shrimp.
STEP 6: BLISTER THE TOMATOES
Add the olive oil to the same hot pan and tip in the tomatoes. Leave them undisturbed for a minute, then toss occasionally for 3–4 minutes, until the skins split, char in patches and start to collapse. Season with flaky sea salt and set aside.
STEP 7: SEAR THE SHRIMP — THE MAKE-OR-BREAK
Get the pan screaming hot. Lay the skewers down and sear, undisturbed, about 90 seconds, until deeply coloured; flip, drop in the butter and baste with the foaming butter and reserved marinade. Critical: shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in seconds — pull them about 20 seconds early, while the centres are just translucent, and let carry-over heat finish them. They are done at roughly 120°F (49°C) at the thickest point on an instant-read thermometer.
STEP 8: PLATE — FETA FIRST
Spread a generous, swooping bed of whipped feta across each plate. Rest the shrimp skewers on top so the juices fall into the feta. Scatter the blistered tomatoes around, drizzle with olive oil, shower with fresh oregano or dill and a little flaky salt, and tuck a warm pita alongside with a lemon wedge. Serve at once, while the shrimp are hot and the bread is soft.
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Instructions
FOR THE PITA
2½ cups (300 g) strong bread flour, plus extra for rolling
1¼ tsp (4 g) instant yeast
1 tsp (4 g) sugar
1 tsp (6 g) salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, about 105°F/40°C
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
FOR THE SHRIMP SOUVLAKI
1½ lb (700 g) large shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined, tails on (16–20 count), patted very dry
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp dried Greek oregano (rigani), crushed between the fingers
½ tsp sweet paprika
¾ tsp (4 g) salt, plus more to finish
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp (14 g) butter, for basting
FOR THE WHIPPED FETA
8 oz (225 g) Greek feta, brine-packed and drained
3 oz (85 g) cream cheese (or thick Greek yogurt), at room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated (optional)
Pinch of white pepper
FOR THE BLISTERED TOMATOES & TO FINISH
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
2 cups (300 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Small handful fresh oregano or dill, to garnish
Lemon wedges, to serve
EQUIPMENT
Large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan (essential)
Metal skewers, or bamboo skewers soaked 30 minutes
Food processor or blender
Stand mixer with dough hook, or a bowl for hand-kneading
Microplane or fine grater
Rolling pin
Tongs and a pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer (optional)
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE PITA DOUGH
In a stand-mixer bowl, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix with the dough hook (or by hand) for 6–8 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky. Cover and prove in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled. Make-ahead: the dough can prove slowly in the fridge overnight — the home cook's advantage over the competition clock.
STEP 2: MARINATE THE SHRIMP
Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp through and marinate 20–30 minutes — no longer, as the acid will begin to “cook” them. Thread onto skewers, 4–5 per skewer, leaving a little space between each so they sear rather than steam. Reserve the leftover marinade for basting.
STEP 3: WHIP THE FETA
Crumble the drained feta into a food processor with the cream cheese (or yogurt), olive oil, lemon juice, optional garlic and white pepper. Blend for 1–2 minutes, scraping down, until completely smooth, airy and spreadable. Taste — good feta is salty, so it rarely needs more. Chill until serving, then bring back to cool room temperature before plating so it spreads.
STEP 4: SHAPE AND REST THE PITA
Knock back the dough and divide into 4 (for larger pita) or 6 pieces. Shape into balls, cover, and rest 10–15 minutes — this relaxes the gluten so they roll out without springing back. Roll each into a round about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick on a lightly floured surface.
STEP 5: GRIDDLE THE PITA
Heat the dry cast-iron pan over medium-high until very hot. Cook each pita 1–2 minutes per side: it will bubble, puff and take on golden-brown blisters. Stack the cooked breads under a clean towel to keep them soft and warm. Wipe the pan ready for the shrimp.
STEP 6: BLISTER THE TOMATOES
Add the olive oil to the same hot pan and tip in the tomatoes. Leave them undisturbed for a minute, then toss occasionally for 3–4 minutes, until the skins split, char in patches and start to collapse. Season with flaky sea salt and set aside.
STEP 7: SEAR THE SHRIMP — THE MAKE-OR-BREAK
Get the pan screaming hot. Lay the skewers down and sear, undisturbed, about 90 seconds, until deeply coloured; flip, drop in the butter and baste with the foaming butter and reserved marinade. Critical: shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in seconds — pull them about 20 seconds early, while the centres are just translucent, and let carry-over heat finish them. They are done at roughly 120°F (49°C) at the thickest point on an instant-read thermometer.
STEP 8: PLATE — FETA FIRST
Spread a generous, swooping bed of whipped feta across each plate. Rest the shrimp skewers on top so the juices fall into the feta. Scatter the blistered tomatoes around, drizzle with olive oil, shower with fresh oregano or dill and a little flaky salt, and tuck a warm pita alongside with a lemon wedge. Serve at once, while the shrimp are hot and the bread is soft.
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