Lahmacun
A thin, crispy crust topped with flavorful minced meat and spices, making it a Turkish street food favourite. Enjoy it as a quick lunch, a satisfying dinner, or even as a delightful party appetizer. It effortlessly transitions from casual family meals to festive gatherings, adapting to the vibe of any occasion.
Lahmacun pronounced "lahma'joun", comes from the Arabic "lahma bi'ajeen," which means "dough with meat." Think of lahmacun as a perfectly thin, crispier pizza (or flatbread), topped with a spiced minced meat mixture.
It is popular in Turkey as in various parts of the Levant where the Ottoman empire once extended. And there are meat pie--or pizza--variations, including manakeesh and sfiha, along with other famous flatbreads like pide . Lahmacun is also known as Armenian pizza, Turkish pizza, Lebanese pizza, Arab pizza...It's that popular!
Ingredients You Will Need-
For the Dough:
250g of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of instant yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
Lukewarm water
For the Meat Filling:
250g of beef or lamb mince
1 onion
5-6 garlic cloves
A handful of fresh mint and cilantro
1 roasted red pepper (for enhanced flavor)
2 tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
2 teaspoons of cumin powder
2 teaspoons of sumac
Salt to taste
For Serving:
Fresh salad (to serve on the side)
Lemon wedges (for that extra zing)
Dough Preparation
In a bowl, combine lukewarm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy. Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture, kneading until a smooth dough forms. Allow the dough to rise for 1.5-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Meat Filling
In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, mint, cilantro, and roasted red pepper until finely chopped.
Add tomatoes, tomato puree, cumin powder, sumac, salt, and minced beef to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a well-combined, slightly textured filling.
Shaping and Baking Lahmacun
Preheat your oven to its highest temperature for at least 30 minutes. Divide the risen dough into 5-6 portions. Roll each portion thinly on parchment paper.
Spread the prepared meat filling evenly over the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border. Transfer Lahmacun (with parchment paper) onto a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
Serving and Enjoyment
Remove Lahmacun from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Serve with a side of fresh salad and lemon wedges. Enjoy this Turkish delight with your favourite company!
Hi!! My name is Maleeha , your passionate host and fellow food enthusiast, and I'm thrilled to take you on a delectable journey through the world of baking, cooking, and dessert-making.
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Lahmacun
Prep Time- 30 mins
Proofing Time- 1.5 hours
Yields- 6-7
Ingredients -
For the Dough:
250g of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of instant yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
Lukewarm water
For the Meat Filling:
250g of beef or lamb mince
1 onion
5-6 garlic cloves
A handful of fresh mint and cilantro
1 roasted red pepper (for enhanced flavour)
2 tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
2 teaspoons of cumin powder
2 teaspoons of sumac
Salt to taste
For Serving:
Fresh salad (to serve on the side)
Lemon wedges (for that extra zing)
Instructions-
Prepare the Dough -
In a bowl, combine lukewarm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy. Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth. This can be done by hand or using a stand mixer. Let the dough rise for 1.5-2 hours until it has doubled in size.
For the Meat Filling
In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, mint, cilantro, and roasted red pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, spices (cumin powder, sumac), salt, and minced beef to the food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are well combined and form a cohesive mixture.
Shape and Bake the Lahmacun
Preheat your oven to its highest temperature for at least 30 minutes. Divide the risen dough into 5-6 balls, depending on your preferred size for the Lahmacun. Roll each dough ball thinly on parchment paper. Spread a generous amount of the meat filling on top of each rolled-out dough. Bake the Lahmacun in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
Serve and Enjoy
Plate the freshly baked Lahmacun. Serve with a side of fresh salad. Garnish with lemon wedges for an extra burst of flavour. Enjoy your homemade Lahmacun!