Lahmacun

Name: Lahmacun
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 tsp Sumac; 500g All-purpose Flour; 300ml Water, warm; 7g Instant Yeast; 1 tsp Granulated Sugar; 1 1/2 tsp Salt; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 500g Ground Lamb; 200g Ground Beef; 2 medium Tomatoes, finely chopped, discard most seeds; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 1 Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped; 30g Parsley, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Tomato Paste; 1 tbsp Turkish Red Pepper Paste, biber salçası; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 tsp Sweet Paprika; 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo Pepper, to taste; 2 tsp Fine Salt; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); 70ml Water, to loosen mixture to a spreadable consistency; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Lemon, cut into wedges; 1 small Red Onion, thinly sliced; 1 handful of Parsley, fresh sprigs

Lahmacun is a thin, crisp flatbread slathered with a spiced minced meat topping — bright, aromatic, and irresistible when folded around fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon. This recipe yields tender, paper-thin rounds baked until the edges are crisp and the topping is just caramelized, perfect for a communal meal or a flavorful weeknight dinner.

Lahmacun is a thin, crisp flatbread slathered with a spiced minced meat topping — bright, aromatic, and irresistible when folded a... Show more

Traditional Middle Eastern Recipe

Health Grade

B- · Healthy

Rating

4.2

Time

2 hrs

Price

1,66 €

Calories

1021 kcal

high protein

low sugar

mediterranean diet

comfort food

Method

Make the dough

In a large bowl, stir together Warm Water, Instant Yeast, and Granulated Sugar until the yeast dissolves. Let it sit 5 minutes until slightly foamy, then add All-purpose Flour, Salt, and Olive Oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto the counter and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic.

Proof the dough

Lightly oil a clean bowl with a little olive oil, set the dough in it, and turn it once so the surface is coated. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until puffy and roughly doubled in size, about 60 minutes.

Prep the vegetables

Rinse and dry the Tomatoes, Green Bell Pepper, and Parsley. Peel the Onion and Garlic, then finely chop the onion and pepper, mince the garlic, and chop the tomatoes very small, scooping out most of the seeds and watery pulp as you go.

Mix the topping

Add the Ground Lamb, Ground Beef, chopped vegetables, Tomato Paste, Turkish Red Pepper Paste, Ground Cumin, Sweet Paprika, Aleppo Pepper, Fine Salt, and Black Pepper to a large bowl. Pour in the water a little at a time and drizzle in the olive oil, then mix with your hands or a sturdy spoon until everything is evenly combined and soft enough to spread in a thin layer. Stop as soon as it looks cohesive; overmixing can make the topping dense.

Preheat the oven

Set the oven to 475° F and let it preheat for 20 minutes. A fully hot oven is what gives lahmacun its thin, crisp crust.

Shape and top

Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Keep the pieces covered and work with 2 at a time so they don't dry out. On a lightly floured counter, roll each piece as thin as you can into an oval or rough circle, then spread a very thin layer of the meat mixture over the top, leaving a narrow border at the edges.

Bake the lahmacun

Bake 2 at a time for 7 to 9 minutes, until the topping is cooked through and the edges are deeply browned and crisp. Remove the first batch, then repeat with the remaining rounds for another 7 to 9 minutes. Watch closely near the end — thin lahmacun can brown very quickly.

Serve with lemon

Thinly slice the Red Onion and toss it with Sumac until the slices turn lightly pink and fragrant. Serve the lahmacun hot with the onion, the Lemon Wedges, and the parsley on the side, then squeeze on plenty of lemon and roll or fold each flatbread before eating.