Turkish lahmacun

Method12 steps · about 1 hr 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Sift all 500 g strong white bread flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and sprinkle in all 7 g dried fast-action yeast. Pour 125 ml of the measured dough water (375 ml) over the yeast and flick some of the flour over the liquid to form a covering layer.

   Uses 500 g strong white bread flour · 7 g dried fast-action yeast · 375 ml water total for dough,125 ml first then 250 ml

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover the starter bowl and leave in a warm place for about fifteen minutes, until cracks appear in the flour covering.

   First lahmacun starter proof until surface cracks · 15 minUses The covered starter bowl

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the remaining 250 ml measured dough water and the teaspoon dough salt (1 tsp) into the starter. Knead for about ten minutes until elastic and no longer sticky, adding a little separate extra flour only if needed.

   Uses All the proved starter and flour · 375 ml water total for dough,125 ml first then 250 ml · 1 tsp salt for dough · A little additional strong white bread flour only if needed for dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Cover the kneaded dough and leave in a warm place for about thirty minutes, until doubled in size.

   Second lahmacun dough proof until doubled · 30 minUses The kneaded dough

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the oven to about 240°C,220°C fan,gas 9. Thinly sprinkle one or two baking trays with the cornmeal to keep the flatbreads from sticking.

   Uses Cornmeal to thinly dust baking trays, as needed

6. 6

   Step 6: Pour boiling water over both tomatoes (2) and leave briefly until their skins loosen. Drain, slip off the skins, halve the tomatoes, remove the stalks and seeds and finely chop the flesh.

   Uses 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and deseeded in step 6 · Boiling water to cover tomatoes briefly for peeling, as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Wash both green chillies, halve them lengthways and remove the stalks, seeds and white membranes. Cut the chilli flesh into fine strips, then fine dice.

   Uses 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped in step 7

8. 8

   Step 8: Mix the prepared tomato and green chilli with all four finely chopped spring onions, three-quarters of the washed parsley bunch finely chopped, all the raw beef mince (250 g), Aleppo chilli flakes, cumin, ground allspice (1 tsp), the measured olive oil (2 tbsp), the teaspoon topping salt (1 tsp) and half-teaspoon black pepper (½ tsp). Mix well to make the complete meat topping, keeping the remaining parsley for serving.

   Uses All the prepared tomato flesh · All the prepared green chillies · 4 spring onions, finely chopped · Three-quarters of the same parsley bunch, finely chopped for topping · 250 g raw beef mince · 2 tsp Aleppo chilli pepper flakes · A pinch ground cumin · 1 tsp ground allspice

9. 9

   Step 9: Knead the proved dough briefly, divide it into four equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Roll each ball into a thin circle and put the four circles on the prepared cornmeal-dusted trays.

   Uses All the proved dough

10. 10

    Step 10: Divide the complete meat topping between the four dough circles and spread each portion into a thin even layer.

    Uses All four dough circles · All the prepared topping

11. 11

    Step 11: Bake each flatbread in the hot oven for about ten to fifteen minutes, until the edges begin to darken, the base is cooked and the thin beef topping is fully cooked through to 71°C. Bake in batches if necessary. Sprinkle the cooked flatbreads with the remaining roughly chopped quarter of the same parsley bunch and half to one finely sliced red onion, then squeeze over a few drops of juice from the half lemon.

    Bake one lahmacun batch until base and beef are cooked · 15 minUses The assembled flatbreads, baked in batches if necessary · Remaining one-quarter of the same parsley bunch, roughly chopped to serve · ½–1 medium red onion, finely sliced to serve · Juice squeezed as desired from the half lemon

12. 12

    Step 12: Serve the hot cooked lahmacun straight away.

    Uses All four cooked flatbreads