Lahmacun

Lahmacun (also known as Armenian Pizza or Turkish Pizza or Lebanese Pizza or Syrian Pizza or Arabic Pizza), is a round minced meat dough (usually of beef or lamb), with finely chopped vegetables and herbs and spices. Lachmachun is often served with an iran or slang.

It is a popular dish in Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey. The dish was originally eaten by Arab sheikhs in the desert who could not take fresh food with them.

Ingredient

For the dough:

• 2 teaspoon active dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 300 ml lukewarm water
• 700 gr strong white bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon olive oil

For the topping:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 500 gr minced beef or minced beef with minced lamb
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon tsimeni
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon

Execution

For the dough:

1. Place the sugar and the yeast in a small bowl with half the lukewarm water.Set aside for about 15 minutes until frothy.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the middle and add the creamed yeast and the rest of the lukewarm water.
3. Using your hand, draw in the flour and work with the mixture to dough, adding more water if necessary.
4. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. Drip a few drops of olive oil into the base of the bowl and roll the dough in it. This will help the dough not to dry up.
5. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size

For the topping:

1. Add the onion, peppers and tomatoes (without their juices) to the food processor and mash. Remove and strain well in a strainer or towel.
2. Put the minced meat in a bowl and add the tomato paste, parsley, spices and the ingredients from the food processor.
3. Season with salt and pepper and work this mixture into a paste with your hands. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
4. Once the dough doubled in size, punch down the risen dough, knead it on a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a thin flat round, stretching the dough with your hands as you roll.
5. Oil the baking sheets and place the dough rounds on them and spread a thin layer of the meat mixture covering the edges too.
6. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the meat is nicely cooked at 200 C.