Popular Turkish Street food, Thin flat bread with layer of spiced minced meat, Turkish Lahmacun is an absolute delightful recipe to try at home.
Lahmacun pronounced as Lahmajoun is Turkish version of pizza. In Arabic it literally translates ‘Dough with meat’. Lahmacun was one of many dishes that trace their roots to the Ottoman Empire, primarily in the Levant region. It was primarily found in south-eastern parts of Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.
In Lebanese cuisine its referred as lahm-bi-ajin and its also known as Armenian Pizza due to its popularity in Armenian Cuisine.
Flat breads are popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. From Italian pizza to manaqeesh or Turkish Gozleme and Pide.
What is Lahmacun?
Turkish Lahmacun is thin flatbread covered with a layer of mince meat marinated in peppers, onion, tomatoes and spices , it is then baked until edges are light golden. Traditionally Lahmacun is baked in woodfire oven. But it can be baked perfectly at home in hot oven.
How To Make Lahmacun
Lahmacun has two components Dough and minced meat.
Dough
This recipe calls out from dough made from scratch. Combine Yeast, sugar, salt, yoghurt and olive oil. Add Flour and mix adding warm water as required. Keep the dough in warm place to rise and double in volume.
Mince Meat Topping
Traditionally Turkish Lahmacun is made from lamb mince but you can also use beef mince.
In a food processor add onions, green chilli, garlic, parsley and tomatoe, process untill finely chopped.
Add this to mince meat along with spices, paprika, salt and cumin. I also add tomato paste, yoghurt and little bit of olive oil. Knead the mince well until everything is well combined.
I also add little pomegranate molasses in the mince as it gives a nice sweet and tangy flavour. Its easily available at Middle Eastern grocery store. If its not available, it you can omit this.
Divide the dough in small equal parts and roll them into thin flat breads. Spread the mince onto the flat bread in a thin layer leaving an inch on sides.
Cook these in preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE TURKISH LAHMACUN
How to Serve Lahmacun
To serve lahmacun add a thinly sliced red onions tossed in sumac, fresh parsley leaves and tomatoes. Drizzle some lemon juice, wrap it and enjoy!
You can also slice lahmacun up like pizza if you are serving it as part of mezze. Add Sides like olives, hummus.
Other Turkish Recipes To Try:
Turkish Pide
Turkish Adana Kebabs
Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab
Chicken Shish Tawook
Turkish Pide
Spinach & Cheese Gozleme
Turkish Lahmacun
Ingredients
Dough
- 2½ cup Plain Flour
- 13 g Instant Yeast
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Yoghurt
- Warm Water as required
Mince Topping
- 500 g Mince Meat
- 1 Medium Onion
- 1 Small Tomato
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Green Chilli
- ½ cup Parsley
- 1½ tsp Paprika
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Yoghurt
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses See Notes
To Serve
- Sliced Onions
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Lemon
- Sumac
Instructions
Prepare Dough
- In a mixing bowl add yeast and sugar with little water. Cover the bowl for 5 minutes so yeast becomes foamy.
- Add yoghurt, salt and olive oil. Mix until combined. Add flour and combine using hands or spatula. Add little warm water as required until dough is formed. At this stage dough will be sticky. Cover it and leave in a warm place to rise and double in volume.
Mince Meat Mixture
- In a food processor add onion, garlic, parsley, tomato and green chilli. Process until its finely chopped.
- Add this to mince meat along with tomato paste, yoghurt, pomegrante molasses and olive oil. Mix and knead the mince for few minutes until everything is combined well. Cover and put it in referigerator for an hour.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 250℃ or the highest tempertaure setting.
- On a clean surface sprinkle some flour and transfer the dough on it. Knead the dough using palm of your hand until its stretchy and smooth.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts. Roll the dough into balls and then using the rolling pin roll it flat until thin.
- Place the flat bread on a lined baking tray. Spread a thin layer of mince over the flat bread using hands leaving half an inch on the sides. You can bake one or two lahmacuns at one time depending on size of your tray.
- Bake in the oven until sides are light golden.
- Serve immediately topped with onions tossed in sumac, tomatoes and some parsley.
