The donair—a pita sandwich stuffed with beef, tomatoes, onions and sauce—is a hugely popular food in Canada with iterations in egg rolls, poutine and even beer. But while the donair is sought-after now—both in Canada and worldwide—it wasn't invented until the 1970s, when Greek brothers Peter and John Gamoulakos opened a pizza shop in Bedford, Nova Scotia.

To appeal to Canadian taste, Peter invented a version of a Greek gyro—vertical spit-roasted meat served in a pita with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki, a yogurt sauce—but with beef and a condensed milk sauce. The name may originate from the spit roasting machine the brothers used (the Don-Air), or possibly döner, after the Turkish dish. To say it was a hit is an understatement: in 2015, the donair became the official food of Halifax. 

Here, journalist, former line cook and one-time pizzaiola Ivy Knight (@ivyporkchopknight) marries the best of Canadian legends King of Donair and Nimrod’s versions to create this quintessential pie. A classic pizza dough base is topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, onions and thinly sliced donair meat (a mix of ground beef and lamb). For a savoury twist, the crust is dusted with za’atar—a Middle Eastern spice mixture that includes thyme, marjoram, sumac and toasted sesame seeds—and the pie is drizzled with sweet donair sauce. Odd? Maybe a little. Delicious? Absolutely. 

Want to learn more about the history of the donair? Check out Ivy’s essay here.