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Lahmacun – Baked Turkish Pizza Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 82 reviews

Lahmacun is a traditional Turkish pizza featuring a thin, crisp dough topped with a flavorful seasoned meat mixture of ground beef or lamb, vegetables, and aromatic spices. Baked at a high temperature, this authentic recipe yields a savory, perfectly balanced dish ideal for sharing with fresh accompaniments like onion salad, parsley, and lemon wedges.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 ½ tsp cane sugar
  • 2 tsp dried instant yeast
  • 1 cup lukewarm water

Meat Mixture

  • ½ pound ground beef or lamb
  • ⅓ cup small-diced red bell pepper (packed)
  • ½ cup small-diced onion (lightly packed)
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley (lightly packed)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp kosher salt (do not use iodized)
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste (scraped and leveled)
  • ⅔ cup water
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, cane sugar, and instant yeast, mixing well to distribute the ingredients. Gradually add lukewarm water, mixing and kneading until a cohesive dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, dust additional flour on top and your hands, and knead vigorously for five minutes. Cover the bowl with cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for one hour until it doubles in size.
  2. Prepare the meat mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef or lamb, diced red bell pepper, diced onion, chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried mint, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, Turkish red pepper paste, and water. Mix thoroughly by hand for five minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic and well integrated. Set aside until ready to assemble.
  3. Preheat the oven: Set the oven temperature to 500°F (reduce to 475°F if using a dark nonstick baking sheet).
  4. Shape the dough: Divide the proofed dough into six equal portions. On a floured surface, flour your hands and rolling pin lightly, then carefully roll each portion into a thin circle, flattening the edges to avoid puffiness. Remove excess flour and transfer each rolled dough circle onto a nonstick baking sheet (do not use parchment paper to prevent burning).
  5. Top with meat mixture: Spread approximately 4 tablespoons of the seasoned meat mixture evenly over the dough circles using your fingertips. Avoid pressing hard or creating holes, and spread the mixture all the way to the edges. If necessary, moisten edge spots with meat juices to promote golden edges during baking.
  6. Bake: Place the prepared lahmacun in the preheated oven. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes without opening the oven door, relying on the oven light for visual monitoring. The lahmacun should emerge crisp and lightly browned.
  7. Serve: Remove lahmacun from the oven and transfer to a heat-safe serving tray or pizza stone. Repeat the rolling, topping, and baking process with the remaining dough and meat mixture. Serve warm, accompanied by onion salad, fresh parsley sprigs, and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Notes

  • If using a dark nonstick baking sheet, reduce oven temperature to 475°F to avoid burning.
  • If the dough is too sticky to handle, add additional flour as needed during kneading and rolling.
  • Allowing the dough to rest and rise for at least one hour is essential for proper texture and elasticity.
  • This recipe uses halal beef but can be adapted with lamb or other ground meats.

Keywords: Lahmacun, Turkish pizza, Turkish flatbread, ground beef pizza, Middle Eastern pizza, baked flatbread, Turkish recipe

Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/lahmacun-baked-turkish-pizza-recipe/