Turkish Lahmacun Flatbread (Printable)

Thin flatbread topped with spiced meat, fresh vegetables, and herbs for a savory, crisp delight.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup warm water
03 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Meat Topping

07 - 10.5 ounces ground lamb or beef
08 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 medium tomato, finely diced
11 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
12 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1 teaspoon paprika
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
18 - 1 teaspoon salt
19 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ To Serve

20 - Lemon wedges
21 - Fresh parsley or mint
22 - Sliced onions and sumac (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water, then add to dry ingredients along with olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
02 - In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine ground meat, onion, garlic, tomato, red bell pepper, tomato paste, parsley, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili flakes if using, salt, and olive oil.
03 - Heat the oven to 480°F (250°C) or its highest setting. Place a pizza stone or baking tray inside to warm.
04 - Divide the risen dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a very thin round or oval approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter.
05 - Evenly spread a thin layer of the meat mixture over each dough round. Transfer to the hot baking stone or tray, working in batches if necessary. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are crisp and topping is cooked through.
06 - Remove from oven and serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Optionally top with sliced onions and sumac.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, making it perfect for when you want something impressive without spending hours in the kitchen.
  • The crispy edges and warm, spiced meat topping create this incredible contrast that somehow tastes even better when you eat it with your hands.
  • Once you master the dough, you'll find yourself making these constantly because they freeze beautifully and reheat like they just came out of the oven.
02 -
  • Don't be tempted to skip the yeast dissolving step or to use cooler water; this is where you build the foundation for proper rise and flavor, and cutting corners here will show in your final product.
  • The meat topping should go on thin and even, not piled high—I learned this the hard way when my first batch had soggy centers and overcooked edges because I was too generous with the filling.
  • Your oven temperature matters more than you think; if you don't preheat the baking stone or tray, you'll end up with doughy lahmacun instead of crispy ones, so give it at least 15 minutes to reach temperature.
03 -
  • If you don't have a pizza stone, a heavy baking tray works just fine, but make sure it's preheated so the bottom crisps up instead of steaming.
  • The meat mixture should smell deeply fragrant and spiced before it hits the oven—taste a tiny raw crumb if you're unsure about seasoning, since you won't get another chance to adjust once it's baking.
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