History & Origin
Lahmacun ('lahm bi ajin' — meat with dough — in Arabic) is a shared tradition across Turkey, Armenia and the Levant. In Turkey it has been a stone-oven street food for centuries.
Ingredients
Very thin dough, minced lamb, tomato, red pepper paste, onion, parsley, garlic, salt.
Traditional Preparation
The topping is spread paper-thin across a thin round of dough. Baked at very high heat in a stone oven for two to three minutes — crisp at the edges, soft in the middle.
Regional Variations
Some regions add more chilli, some less; some finish with a squeeze of lemon and a wrap of parsley.
Pairings
Lemon, parsley, a glass of ayran or a cup of Turkish tea.
How It Is Served
Rolled up with parsley and lemon inside, eaten by hand.
Did You Know
Turks joke that lahmacun is the true 'Turkish pizza' — but the two dishes were developed on opposite sides of the Mediterranean and share only their round shape.
Lahmacun at SkaZka Bali
Baked to order in the stone oven, served with lemon, parsley and sumac onion.