Want to taste Turkey without leaving your kitchen? Lahmacun — thin dough, aromatic meat filling with vegetables and spices, wrapped in a roll and served with lemon — is the perfect way to feel the atmosphere of Eastern street food. Lahmacun is often called Turkish pizza, but in spirit and presentation, it is closer to street food: it is rolled up and fresh vegetables and greens are added.
Ingredients:
- 250 g warm water
- 15 g sugar
- 24 g fresh or 8 g dry yeast
- 420 g flour
- 12 g salt
- 25 g vegetable oil
- 400 g minced meat
- 2 small bell peppers
- 1 large or 2 small onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3 small or 2 medium tomatoes
- a bunch of parsley or cilantro
- 10 g salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 70 g tomato paste
- Coriander, hot pepper to taste
- For serving: tomatoes, onion, greens, lemon
Dough: Simple and Very Thin
The base of lahmacun is classic yeast dough. Sugar and yeast are dissolved in warm water. After complete dissolution, a few tablespoons of flour are added and mixed until the consistency of liquid sour cream.
The dough is left in a warm place for about 20 minutes — during this time it increases by 2–2.5 times. Then the remaining flour is added, and the dough is kneaded by hand or in a planetary mixer.
When the dough becomes smooth and elastic, salt and vegetable oil are added, and it is kneaded for another 5 minutes. The dough is covered with plastic wrap and left in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until it doubles in volume.
Filling: Juicy and Aromatic
Classic lahmacun is made with beef mince, but other options are also acceptable. The vegetables — onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and greens — are chopped very finely.
Vegetables, salt, spices, and tomato paste are added to the minced meat. The filling should be sufficiently liquid to spread easily over the dough. If necessary, a little warm water is added.
Shaping and Baking
The dough is divided into equal parts (for example, 9 pieces of 75–80 g), rounded, and allowed to rest under plastic wrap for 5–10 minutes. It is rolled out into a very thin layer (≈1 mm), 1.5–2 tbsp of filling is placed on top and spread evenly.
The oven is preheated to maximum (≈250 °C), and lahmacun is baked on a baking sheet or stone for 6–8 minutes until the edges are browned and the dough is fully cooked.
Serving: An Important Part of the Flavor
Hot lahmacun is complemented with fresh vegetables: sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce leaves, and greens. It is drizzled with lemon juice and rolled up.
The dish turns out juicy, aromatic, and as close to the Turkish street flavor as possible. The thin dough, proper filling, and high temperature make lahmacun a favorite for everyone who tries it at least once.
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