Name: Lahmacun (Turkish Flatbread with Spiced Lamb)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; ½ tsp instant yeast; ¾ cup warm water, about 105°F (40°C); 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little for the bowl; 1 ½ tsp salt, divided: about 0.5 tsp for the dough and 1 tsp for the topping; ½ lb ground lamb, about 20% fat, finely ground; keep cold; 1 medium onion, grated, then squeezed dry in a towel; 1 medium tomato, finely grated, skin discarded; 1 small green bell pepper, very finely chopped; Turkish frying pepper if you can find one; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp pul biber, Aleppo pepper; or 0.5 tsp sweet paprika plus a pinch of chili flakes; ½ tsp ground cumin; ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus whole leaves to serve; 1 lemon, cut into wedges to serve

Lahmacun (Turkish Flatbread with Spiced Lamb)

Lahmacun is a paper-thin flatbread topped with a raw paste of spiced lamb, tomato and pepper that bakes in minutes in a very hot oven. Eat it rolled up with parsley and lemon, as in Turkish lahmacuncu shops.

Total time

50 min

Prep

30 min

Cook

20 min

Serves

Difficulty

Medium

Per serving

428 kcal

Method

Stir the flour, yeast and 0.5 tsp of the salt together in a large bowl, then add the warm water and olive oil and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover and let it rest for about 1 hour, hands-off, until doubled in size.
Squeeze the grated onion in a towel to remove its juice, then knead it in a bowl with the lamb, grated tomato, chopped pepper, tomato paste, pul biber, cumin and the remaining 1 tsp salt for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and spreadable; stir in the parsley and keep the topping chilled until you bake.
Set a baking stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet on the top rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes so the surface is fully hot.
Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll each on a floured counter into a very thin round about 8 inches (20 cm) across, thin enough that you can almost see the counter through it in places.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of topping over each round, leaving a thin bare border at the edge, and press it gently into the dough so it sticks.
Bake one or two at a time on the hot stone for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are crisp and browned, the topping looks dry at the rim and the meat has turned from pink to grey-brown.
Serve right away, sprinkled with more parsley and with lemon wedges; roll each piece around a few parsley leaves and a squeeze of lemon, the way it is traditionally eaten.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 428
Protein: 16g
Carbs: 54g
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 2g

Protein 15%Carbs 51%Fat 34%

Estimates only. Check ingredient labels and allergens, and cook meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures.

turkish · lunch · flatbread · lamb · street food

Lahmacun (Turkish Flatbread with Spiced Lamb)

Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Nutrition per serving

Missing something?

Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Nutrition per serving

Missing something?

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