Lahmacun (pronounced lah-ma-joun) is a Turkish thin flatbread topped with a mixture of meat and vegetables. The word comes from the Arabic word lahm-bi-ajin, which translates as “meat with dough.” This dish is popular in Turkey, Lebanon, Armenia and other countries in the Levantine region, each of which has its own variation on the same basic recipe. A classic way of serving this flatbread in Turkey is to top it with lemon juice, onions and parsley, then roll it and enjoy it like a wrap. Lahmacun is usually made in a wood-fired oven. Since many home cooks don’t have access to one, we developed this recipe using the hot baking sheet method, which results in a similar texture for the dough.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
- 2 cups fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 Anaheim peppers, finely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3 cups fresh parsley leaves
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
- For the dough: Put the flour in a large bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix to combine. Gradually add 2 cups of warm water to the flour mixture and mix to bring the dough together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it’s soft but not sticky, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, about 3.5 ounces each, and shape into balls. Put the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
- For the topping: Put the ground beef, parsley, olive oil, tomato paste, cumin, Aleppo pepper, sumac, black pepper, garlic, onion, Anaheim peppers, tomatoes, bell peppers and 1 tablespoon salt in a bowl. Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are well combined. Let the mixture sit until the dough is ready.
- Place a baking sheet upside down on the middle rack of the oven (or use a pizza stone) and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place one of the dough balls on a lightly floured surface (keep the rest under the kitchen towel) and roll it out into a thin circle about 10 inches in diameter. Place the dough on a piece of parchment and top it with a thin layer of the topping (5 to 6 tablespoons), making sure all of the dough is well coated. Transfer the dough on the parchment to the hot baking sheet. Bake until the topping is fully cooked and the edges of the dough start browning a bit, 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and topping. To keep the cooked lahmacun soft, stack them and cover with a light kitchen towel.
- For serving: Top the lahmacun with some parsley, sliced onion and lemon juice, then roll into a wrap.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 346 |
| Total Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 27 mg |
| Sodium | 478 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 346 |
| Total Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 27 mg |
| Sodium | 478 mg |