Lahmacun Turkish Spiced Lamb Flatbread Recipes

LAHMACUN: SPICY MINCED LAMB FLATBREADS

Steps:

• First, make the dough. Sift the flour, salt and yeast into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add 250ml warm water and the olive oil and mix together to make a soft dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Put back into the bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for about an hour until doubled in size. For the topping, bring the minced lamb back to room temperature if necessary. Roughly chop the onion, red pepper and green pepper, put them into a food processor and process, using the pulse button, until finely chopped but not a pulp. Tip into a sieve set over a bowl and press out the excess liquid. Add to the minced lamb with the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, Aleppo pepper and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix together into a soft paste using your hands. Divide the mixture into 12. Preheat the oven to 240°C/Gas Mark 9. Punch back the flatbread dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once more until smooth. Divide the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces. Working with 4 pieces at a time, roll each one out very thinly on a lightly floured surface into ovals of 14 x 24 cm. Place side by side on 2 lightly floured baking sheets. Using your fingertips, spread one portion of the lamb mixture evenly over each base, taking it right up to the edges because the mixture shrinks as it cooks. Bake for 8 minutes until the dough is lightly browned. Serve straight away. The traditional way to do this is to pile a few parsley sprigs towards one end of the flatbread, squeeze over a little lemon juice and roll it up, much like you would a taco. While your guests start to eat, repeat with the remaining dough and lamb topping. This is one of those dishes where the cook always eats last.

LAHMACUN (TURKISH SPICED LAMB PITA)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the onions and cook until they are soft. Add the spices and ground lamb, cook until the meat is evenly browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
• Stir in the tomato paste, salt and parsley, cook for another minute. Set aside to cool. Can be made ahead.
• When ready to cook, heat a griddle or large cast iron pan very hot. To four pitas, divide lamb mixture and top each pita with mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. One at a time, place on grill and heat for 5 minutes. Remove to plate.
• Put 1/4 of the parsley, onions and tomatoes on the pita. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the top. Roll the pita up like a crepe. Wrap it in parchment to make it easier to eat or spear it with a toothpick to keep it closed.

LAHMACUN TURKISH FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Combine yeast, sugar and 3/4 cup boiled water in a bowl, let sit until foamy, about 5-7 minutes.
• Combine flour and salt separately, fold in the yeast mixture, and knead until soft, smooth dough ball forms. Cover the dough in a bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for about an hour.
• Punch down dough, divide into 4 portions, and form them into a ball. Transfer dough balls to a floured baking sheet. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for another 45 minutes, or refrigerate until needed.
• In a large bowl, combine oil and tomato paste with the Baharat blend packet. Add in lamb, garlic, tomato, onion, and season with salt (optional).
• Preheat oven to 475°, use a pizza stone in bottom third of oven.
• Roll out each dough ball fairly thin, into a 10" disk. Transfer dough to a parchment paper, spoon about 4 tablespoons of topping onto dough, spread evenly with your fingers.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and topping is cooked, between 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your crust and topping layer. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.

LAHMACUN TURKISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the garlic, onion, basil, parsley, mint, paprika, cumin, coriander, diced bell peppers, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until finely chopped. Add the halved tomatoes and process until the mixture is a thick puree.
• Place the lamb in the preheated skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the puree and the tomato paste and mix well. Cook and stir until the lamb is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir well. Add the vegetable oil and 1/2 cup water to the yeast mixture and pour it over the flour. Use your hands to mix the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with a wet towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Remove the lamb sauce from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature. Prepare the garlic sauce: combine the yogurt, parsley, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and set aside.
• Punch the dough down, transfer it to a floured work surface, and cut the dough into 10 portions. Shape each portion into a round. Flatten each round with your hand; use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a 10-inch circle. The dough should be thin, like a crepe. Place the rounds on parchment paper.
• Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stir the lamb sauce and then spoon it onto a dough round. Spread it thinly to the edges and press down lightly so it sticks to the dough. Bake pizzas on parchment paper-lined baking sheets on the lowest oven rack until the edges are a light tan color, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place on a wire rack to cool. The pizzas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for three months. To reheat, place the pizzas in a 350 degree F oven (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes.
• To assemble the lahmacun, drizzle with garlic sauce, top with shredded cabbage, and roll up to eat. See the Cook's Notes for other garnish ideas.