Turkish Lahmacun
The pizza-style lahmacun, or lahmajoun, or translated "meat on dough" is popular in the Eastern Mediterranean region from Lebanon to Turkey. The crust has a thin crispy-soft texture from the stone oven. At home, it's traditionally baked in a pan without oil. The meat infused with summer vegetables creates a refreshing juicy topping. Enjoy lahmacun rolled up with or without salad filling.
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 lb lamb or beef [1] ground
Fresh Produce
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic optional
- 1 bunch parsley [2]
- 1 1/2 bell pepper 1/2 green, 1 red [3]
- 1-2 lemons for juice
Packaged Goods/Staples
- 2-4 tbsp tomato paste unflavored
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 12 (gluten-free) tortilla wraps [4] 8-inch
Suggested Toppings [5]
- 1 lettuce of your choice chopped
- 1-2 tomatoes sliced
- 1 large onion halved & thinly sliced
- 1 cup (vegan: cashew) yogurt plain
Lahmacun Culinary Spice Kit
- Paprika, Turkish pepper (mild Marash & Urfa, crushed with oil and salt), anardana (pomegranate), oregano
Instructions
Seasoning Paste Step 1 - Option 1: Blend Fresh Produce with Food Processor
- Ingredients needed in this step: onions, cloves garlic, parsley, bell pepper
- In a FOOD PROCESSOR, blend onion and garlic into a paste.
- Add parsley and bell peppers and chop coarsely. Make sure that some tiny pieces are still visible.
Seasoning Paste Step 1 - Option 2: Chop Fresh Produce without Food Processor
- Ingredients needed in this step: onions, garlic, parsley, bell pepper
- Grate onion and garlic, and finely chop parsley and bell peppers.
Seasoning Paste Step 2 - Mix with Remaining Ingredients
- Ingredients needed in this step: seasoning paste from step 1, oil, tomato paste, spices
- In a BOWL, add seasoning paste from step 1.
- Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tbsp tomato paste.
- Add Lahmacun spices, salt (1.5 tsp recommended), and black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Add meat and knead well.
Resting Time
- Let the meat mixture rest for 15 minutes.
- If the liquid is not full absorbed, add more tomato paste.
Spread Meat Mixture onto Tortilla
- On each tortilla, distribute about 2 tbsp of the meat mixture thinly up to the very edges.
Bake Option 1: in PAN (without oil)
- Bake in a medium hot PAN (without oil) until the meat topping is cooked.
- Repeat until all lahmacuns are prepared.
Bake Option 2: in OVEN - Preheat to 325°F
- Bake in the OVEN (on parchment paper) until the meat topping is cooked.
- Repeat until all lahmacuns are prepared.
Tip
- To keep the lahmacuns warm until all are done, place the 2nd cooked lahmacun face down on top of the 1st one, the 3rd face up on top. Repeat.
Serve
- Sprinkle lemon juice to taste on your lahmacun and add the toppings of your choice.
- Roll up and enjoy!
Notes
[1] Substitute lamb with any other ground meat.
Substitute meat with 2 cups of cooked lentils or bulgur.
[2] Optionally, substitute or mix with fresh cilantro.
[3] Optionally, substitute with bell pepper in a different color, for instance, orange, yellow.
[4] A thin pizza crust is more authentic if it's available.
[5] More topping options: thinly sliced red or green cabbage, rucola, ranch dressing, flat parsley