Recipes

Turkish Flatbread (Lahmacun)

Serves 4-6

| Prep Time: 20 mins

| Cook Time: 10 min

| Total Time: 30 mins

You may need: Sweet Nigella Blend

Discover The Recipe

Lahmacun, meaning 'dough with meat' in Arabic, is often referred to as Turkish pizza, and this recipe will not disappoint. Starting with a pizza dough you can find in any supermarket, our Turkish Flatbread (Lahmacun) takes an exciting twist! Vegetables, meat, and tomato paste are blended and then spread on the dough. These ingredients are flavored with a blend of essential Turkish herbs and spices found in our proprietary Sweet Nigella Blend. This blend starts with freshly ground nigella seeds, providing a hint of smoke along with notes of onion, cumin, and oregano. Combined with fruity-mild heat from Aleppo chili flakes, a lemony-tangy flavor from sumac, and a sweet, warming finish from cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise, the Sweet Nigella Blend elevates this Turkish flatbread pizza into something truly remarkable.

Lahmacun Turkish pizza is missing the one pizza component you may expect: cheese! But you get plenty of savory flavor from the meat and spices. Sweet Nigella Blend pairs well with any savory dish from roasted meats / vegetables to soups, stews, and even pasta.

Ingredients

½ lb uncooked pizza dough
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh parsley
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Sweet Nigella Blend
½ tsp salt
¾ lb ground beef or ground lamb (or 50/50 mix)
Lemon wedges (optional)
¼ cup sliced red onions (optional)
Parsley, for garnish

Notes

Before you serve, squeeze just a little bit of lemon juice on Lahmacun. Try additional toppings such as thinly sliced red onion, radish, and chopped fresh mint leaves on top. Or, wrap the Lahmacun up, burrito-style.

To serve a larger crowd, slice Lahmacun like you would pizza or flatbread and serve with a drizzle of tahini and olive oil.

Try making marinated Turkish Sumac Onions to serve as a side dish.

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal balls (about 2 oz each). Roll out the dough to a thin layer, about 8-9 inches in diameter.

In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, and parsley. Transfer to a large bowl. Combine with tomato paste, Piquant Post Sweet Nigella Blend, and salt. Mix in ground meat.

Assemble the Turkish Flatbread (Lahmacun). Place the pizza dough on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon ¼ cup mixture on the dough and spread evenly into a thin layer and top with red onion slices. Repeat with each dough round.

Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes, until dough and meat are fully cooked. Serve hot with sliced lemon, and parsley.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
If you don’t have ripe tomatoes available, simply double the tomato paste.
Try using Sweet Nigella Blend in our Stuffed Cabbage Rolls or these Bulgur Meatballs, or our Nigella Lamb Chops recipes.
Also, try using the Sweet Nigella blend as a dry rub on grilled or baked lamb chops or chicken for a lovely Turkish flavor, or sprinkle over this warm potato salad.
Craving a savory, flaky phyllo dough pie this holiday season? Add this spice to a savory traditional Turkish Borek recipe or make our Vegan Borek version.
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