Turkish Lahmacun

Homemade Turkish Lahmacun is a super-thin crispy flatbread topped with minced beef or lamb mixed with vegetables, herbs, and spices. You can find this popular street food everywhere in Turkey, in restaurants, cafes, and fast-food shops. Lahmacun (or Lahmajoun) wrap made with fresh parsley leaves, a few slices of red onions, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is the perfect lunchtime snack!

Jump to:

• What Is The Difference Between Lahmacun and Pizza?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Related Recipes
• Top Tips From The Chef
• Turkish Lahmacun

What Is The Difference Between Lahmacun and Pizza?

Lahmacun is often called "Turkish pizza" or "Lahmacun pizza" in Western countries. The only similarity between a pizza and a lahmacun is their round shape. Unlike pizza, lahmacun doesn't have any cheese as a topping and the crust is thinner. Also, lahmacun is only topped with minced meat while the toppings for pizza are endless. You can wrap or fold the lahmacun and eat it like a burrito but pizza is generally sliced before eating.

Why This Recipe Works?

• It is easy to make with step-by-step instructions.

• You can make this famous street food in your kitchen without needing a wood oven.

• It is made with a very simple non-yeast dough.

• You can serve them for dinner as a main course or you can make them smaller and serve them as an appetiser.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Strong white flour - It is also known as strong bread flour. It is made from hard wheat varieties and contains more gluten than other types of flour. It gives some elasticity to the dough which makes it easier to roll out.

• Olive oil - It gives flavour and adds extra crispiness to the baked crust.

• Minced beef or lamb - You can use beef or lamb, or a mixture of both. Try and use fatty meat, with a minimum of 15-20% fat. Lamb mince is naturally fatty but if using beef, or a mixture, make sure your beef mince isn’t lean. If you only have lean beef, add a tablespoon of olive oil into your filling to help it to stick to the dough.

• Tomatoes - Red & juicy summer tomatoes are always the best option. Remove the eye of the tomatoes and cut them in quarters before blitzing them.

• Onions - You can use a medium-size brown, yellow or white onion. Peel and cut in chunks before blitzing it.

• Garlic - You can omit garlic if you don't like or have it. Peel, cut it in half and add to the bowl with the rest of the vegetables.

• Turkish green peppers - They are one of the most popular peppers used in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. Always check the spiciness before using them and don't use any extra chilli or chilli flakes if you don't want overly hot lahmacuns. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers. Wash them and cut them into chunks before blitzing.

• Red pepper - I use romano peppers but any sweet type of red pepper works with this recipe.

• Red chilli - Adjust the amount of chilli to your taste. If using Turkish peppers, check their spiciness before adding any more chillies to your topping. Wash and cut in chunks before blitzing. Remove the seeds and the white membrane for a milder taste.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavour to the dishes as well as a bright red colour. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it from Amazon .

• Red pepper paste - Turkish red pepper paste is a rich, delicious paste made with juicy, spicy red peppers and I use it quite often in my Turkish recipes. You can buy it from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it from Amazon . Alternatively, you can omit it and use the same amount of tomato paste.

• Parsley - It is possibly the best herb to pair with lahmacun. Try and use fresh flatleaf parsley for both the lahmacun filling and for lahmacun wraps. Wash and finely chop the parsley leaves before adding them to the mixture. Don't blitz them in a food processor, use a sharp knife for best results.

• Seasoning - Salt, freshly ground pepper and paprika are all you need. Add chilli flakes if you don't use fresh chilli for a bit of heat.

Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making your homemade lahmacun is easier than you think. To achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Dough

This simple dough needs only 4 ingredients and yeast is not one of them! If you don't feel confident working with yeast, this is the perfect recipe for you. To make the dough, place the water, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix them until combined.

Use a stand mixer if you prefer. Sift the flour, add gradually to the bowl and knead the dough. Use the dough hook if you are using your stand mixer. Add enough flour to have the dough come together and form a soft and slightly sticky dough. 

Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until it is elastic, smooth and not sticky anymore. Once the dough is smooth, divide it into 6 balls (approximately 90 grams each) and place them on a lightly floured tray or worktop. 

Cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel or cling film and let them rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This step is necessary for the dough to relax and makes it easier to roll out. Prepare lahmacun filling while the dough is resting.

Prepare the Filling

Place onion, peppers (both green and red), tomatoes, garlic and chilli (if using fresh) in a food processor and finely chop them using the pulse function. Be careful at this stage not to turn them into pure.

Alternatively, you can finely chop them using a sharp knife. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and add the mince, tomato paste, pepper paste (you can replace it with tomato paste if you don't have it in your fridge), finely chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, paprika and salt. Mix well until all combined into a smooth mixture that is easy to spread.

Cook the Lahmacun

The traditional way to cook the lahmacun is in a wood oven. But it is still possible to make delicious lahmacuns at home in a domestic oven or even on a stovetop. I will explain both methods so that you can pick which method is easier for you.

How to Cook Lahmacun in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450° F) and line a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Roll out the dough balls into thin circles size of 25 cm (9 ½") Ø. You can fit 2 on a large sheet tray or 1 on a small. Place 2 dough circles on a large sheet tray. Divide your mixture into 6 and spread ⅙ of the mixture on a dough circle evenly and thinly, including the edges. Gently press on the filling to make sure it sticks to the dough. Repeat the same with the remaining dough circles and filling.

Transfer the sheet tray to the hot oven. If you have 2 baking sheet trays, you can bake them together. Rotate them halfway through the baking time as the top usually bakes faster than the bottom. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are crispy on the outside and the filling is thoroughly cooked. Transfer them on a large plate and cover them with tin foil or a clean kitchen towel while the rest of the lahmacuns are baking. Covering them will help to keep the lahmacuns warm, and also it will soften them enough for you to be able to roll them into wraps.

How to Cook Lahmacun on the Stove

Heat a large non-stick pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Ideally, the pan should be 26 cm (10")Ø or bigger. Roll out a dough ball into a thin circle size of 25 cm (9 ½") Ø. If your pan is smaller than that, roll the dough ball small enough to fit in it.

Gently place the dough circle in the hot pan. Divide your mixture into 6 and spread ⅙ of the mixture on a dough circle evenly and thinly, including the edges. Gently press on the filling to make sure it sticks to the dough.

Cover the pan with the lid and cook it for 12 to 14 minutes or until you see some brown spots at the bottom. Transfer it to a large plate and repeat the same for the remaining dough balls.

Related Recipes

For more scrumptious Turkish pastries, why not try:

• Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek)

• Potato Borek

• Gozleme (Turkish Pancakes)

• Homemade Pita Bread

• Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel)

• Turkish Rolls (Sigara Boregi)

• Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns)

• Sucuklu Pide (Turkish Bread with Spicy Sausage)

• Su Boregi - Water Borek

• Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi

Top Tips From The Chef

• Use minced meat with a high percentage of fat for topping. It will not only improve the taste but also will make the filling easy to spread on the dough.

• Knead the dough minimum for 5 minutes until it feels elastic and soft. When you have an elastic dough, you can shape it easily without tearing it.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Homemade Turkish Lahmacun as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

FOOD SAFETY

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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