Lahmacun

Ingredients

Dough

• 400 g (3¼ cups) bread flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 240 ml (1 cup) warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Topping

• 300 g (10 oz) ground beef
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper (or ½ tbsp chilli flakes)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• To serve: lemon wedges, parsley, sliced onion and sumac

Steps

1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water and oil to a soft dough. Knead 8 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
2. Mix all the topping ingredients in a bowl until it forms a thin, spreadable paste. Drain off any liquid from the tomatoes first.
3. Put a baking stone or heavy tray in the oven and heat to the highest setting, 250°C (480°F), for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into a very thin circle about 22 cm (9 in) wide, as thin as you can without tearing.
5. Spread about 3 tbsp of topping over each round, right to the edge, in a very thin layer.
6. Slide 2 at a time onto the hot stone and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are crisp and lightly browned and the meat is cooked through to 71°C (160°F) or until no pink remains. The base should stay pliable, not hard.
7. Stack finished ones under a cloth to keep them soft while you bake the rest.
8. Serve warm with parsley, onion and sumac, a squeeze of lemon, and roll it up to eat.

Notes

• Make ahead: the topping keeps 2 days in the fridge, and baked lahmacun freezes well.
• No stone? Preheat a large inverted baking sheet.
• Ground lamb: the traditional choice; a half-and-half blend is delicious.
• Shortcut: spread the topping on thin lavash or large flour tortillas and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.