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Lahmacun – Turkish Pizza/Flatbread: A Flavorful Middle Eastern Delight Recipe

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4.1 from 15 reviews

Lahmacun, often referred to as Turkish pizza, is a delicious Middle Eastern flatbread topped with a savory mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and fragrant spices. This recipe features a thin, crispy dough base topped with a flavorful blend of ground lamb or beef, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and herbs, baked to perfection in a hot oven. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal, Lahmacun is traditionally garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (120 ml) warm water
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Topping

  • 200 g ground lamb or beef (or a mix)
  • 1 small onion, finely grated
  • 1 tomato, finely chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: In a bowl, mix warm water, sugar, and dry yeast. Let it sit for 5–7 minutes until frothy, indicating that the yeast is activated. Add flour, salt, and olive oil, then knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 30–40 minutes until it doubles in size.
  2. Make the Topping: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, finely chopped tomato, chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, parsley, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated into a uniform mixture.
  3. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). Place a baking sheet or pizza stone inside the oven to heat up; this ensures a crisp base when baking the lahmacun.
  4. Shape the Dough: Once the dough has risen, divide it into 4 equal parts. Roll each ball out on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval or round shape, about 8-10 inches in diameter, ensuring an even thickness.
  5. Assemble the Lahmacun: Spread a thin, even layer of the meat mixture over each rolled dough, pressing lightly to help the topping adhere properly but not too thick to avoid undercooking.
  6. Bake: Carefully transfer each prepared lahmacun onto the preheated baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake in the oven for 6–8 minutes until the edges become crispy and the meat topping is thoroughly cooked.
  7. Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with additional fresh parsley, lemon wedges for squeezing, and optional red pepper flakes. Roll up the lahmacun and enjoy it hot for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

  • For a crispier crust, use a pizza stone if available, and preheat it thoroughly before baking.
  • Ground lamb gives a richer flavor, but ground beef or a mix works great as well.
  • Adjust spices to your taste, adding more paprika or pepper if you prefer heat.
  • Lahmacun is best served fresh but can be reheated briefly in a hot oven or skillet.
  • For gluten-free options, substitute all-purpose flour with a suitable gluten-free flour blend, adjusting water as needed.
  • Author: Monica
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Find it online: https://monicarecipes.com/lahmacun-turkish-pizzaflatbread-a-flavorful-middle-eastern-delight-recipe/