Turkish Lahmacun aka Turkish Pizza
One of the most beloved and popular street foods of Istanbul, Lahmacun is also known as "Turkish Pizza"--a thin flatbread dough is pan cooked with a ground lamb or beef topping, or both in this case. The meat mixture is seasoned with a gorgeous old world inspired spice blend. Lahmacun are served with tomatoes, parsley, and that traditional squeeze of lemon. Forget ordering pizza this weekend, make some Lahmacun and enjoy the best meal possible!
Equipment
- Food processor, if possible.
- Non-stick skillet
Ingredients
Ozlem's Turkish Table Flatbread Dough
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup lukewarm water
- 3 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
Meat Filling
- ¾ lb ground beef
- ¾ lb ground lamb
- ½ red onion
- 5 medium tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ bunch parsley
- 1 tsp mint
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tbsp sumac
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp marjoram
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
For Ozlem's Turkish Table Flatbread
- Add the sugar and yeast to a stand mixer with ⅓ cup of the lukewarm water. Allow the mix to froth for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, sift the flour and the salt.
- Add the flour and salt, along with the rest of the lukewarm water, to the yeast mix and start up the dough hook on a consistent, lower speed for 7-10 minutes, until the dough comes together and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Add in the olive oil as the dough mixes. If needed, add a little more water or a little more flour to even out the texture.
- Turn the dough and knead a few turns on a floured surface to even up and place in a bowl. Add additional olive oil to the bowl and coat the dough so it retains moisture. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rise for 1 hour. I place the dough in an oven that has just been shut off from 200 degrees and I prop a wooden spoon in the door to prevent too much heat.
- Make the meat filling (see below).
- Once the dough has proved, punch it down and knead it on a floured surface. Divide into six equal pieces (I use a digital scale to help.) Cover the pieces with a towel and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
For Meat Filling
- Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Give them a squeeze to remove the excess juice. Add the tomatoes, along with all the ingredients --except the meat-- into a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add in the ground meat and pulse again enough times for the meat and paste to all be integrated together.
To Assemble/Cook
- Roll each dough piece on a floured surface into a thin circle. It does not have to be a perfect circle, as long as the dough is thin and even all the way around. I separate the flatbreads with parchment paper to keep them stacked and keep them from sticking.
- Warm up the non stick skillet over medium to medium lower heat (my stove runs high so medium lower for me). Add the meat paste mixture in a thin layer evenly over the top of the first flatbread. It can be fiddly, so I use my hands and lightly tap the meat around the dough so it moves around. Make sure to leave the edges free of meat mixture.
- Slide the meat flatbread into the pan off of the parchment or lift it up and GINGERLY drop it into the pan. Almost immediately, you can start sliding the lahmacun around to keep it loose. Cook with cover on for 5-7 minutes and keep checking the bottom of the lahmacun to make sure it is not burning (if so, lower the heat) and keep an eye on the meat to make sure it cooks as well.
- Move on, one by one, adding meat to each piece and cooking them. Once all are finished, garnish with additional parsley, salt, red pepper if desired, tomato slices, red onion slices, and a squeeze of lemon. You can fold up and eat like a burrito if you like! We made a basic yoghurt dip out of greek yoghurt, salt, paprika, a clove of garlic, and olive oil. You can make whatever side sauce you like. These even taste pretty good the next day once warmed up!
