3 days ago
4
On a recent trip to Turkey, I found myself eating lahmacun – often called Turkish pizza – for lunch every day. I hadn’t expected such a humble-looking flatbread to be so utterly compelling: crisp-edged, whisper-thin dough topped with a spiced layer of minced meat. The real revelation came when I learned to top it with salad and roll it up like a burrito: the contrast of hot and cool, soft and crunchy, was irresistible.
Don’t be put off by the ingredient list. The topping comes together quickly in a food processor and mixes in one bowl. For the salad, keep it simple: lettuce, finely sliced red onion, flat-leaf parsley, cherry tomatoes, a dusting of sumac, a good squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
500g plain flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
300ml warm water
7g sachet instant yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE MEAT TOPPING
350g minced lamb or beef (or a mix of both)
1 medium red onion (about 150g), peeled and chopped into 8-10 pieces
1 small red capsicum (about 150g), halved, cored and deseeded, then chopped into 8-10 pieces
2 garlic cloves, halved
7g flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 ripe tomato
50g tomato paste
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Aleppo pepper (or ½ tsp chilli flakes)
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground allspice
1¼ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
to make the dough
Step 1
Prepare the dough by placing the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisking together to combine. In a jug, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar and olive oil. Allow to stand until frothy, then pour into the flour.
Step 2
Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed to form a soft dough, then knead (either by hand or in the mixer) until a smooth and elastic ball forms (about 5 minutes in the machine or 10 minutes by hand).
Step 3
Place the dough in a bowl, cover and allow it to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour).
To make the meat topping
Step 1
While the dough is rising, make the meat topping. Place the minced meat in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 2
Put the onion, capsicum, garlic and parsley in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (it should be almost minced; take care not to turn it into a puree), then scrape into the bowl with the meat.
Step 3
Next, grate the tomato: place a box grater on a chopping board and push one end of the tomato against the coarse side. The flesh will collapse into a pulpy puree, leaving only the skin behind in your hand; discard the skin.
Step 4
Scrape the tomato pulp into the bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined (the consistency should be spreadable, but not too wet; if it’s too loose, drain off any excess liquid).
To assemble
Step 1
Once the dough has risen and you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 220C fan-forced (240C conventional). Knock the dough down, then divide into 8 equal balls, about 100g each.
Step 2
Roll out one ball, on a floured surface, into a very thin circle that’s about 23-25cm in diameter and transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Step 3
Place about 100g of the meat topping on the dough circle, then use a small spatula to gently spread it to an evenly thin layer, almost to the edge.
Step 4
Bake until the edge is crisp and the filling is cooked through (about 10 minutes). Repeat with the rest of the dough and topping.
Step 5
Serve with a salad or, even better, roll up the lahmacun with the salad inside.
