Lahmacun (Lamb Pizza)

This recipe serves:  4 24

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 ounces ground lamb
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped peppers, (pasilla or anaheims)
1 pinch allspice
1 pinch cinnamon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons toasted pine nuts


1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 pinch sugar
4 teaspoons warm water
1 tablespoon unbleached bread flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup warm water
1. For the lamb topping: Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and lamb and increase the heat to high. Cook until the lamb gives off its juices and starts to brown. Add the tomatoes, peppers and spices and cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Stir in the parsley and mint and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.

(This can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)

2. For the dough: Dissolve the yeast and sugar with the warm water. Stir in the Tablespoon flour and let this mixture rest in a warm place until bubbly. Put the rest of the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Make a well in the center and add the bubbly dough mixture, salt, olive oil and water. Mix on low to combine and continue mixing until dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Turn out into an oiled bowl and let rest covered with plastic wrap in warm place until doubled.

3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch down. Form into 4 balls and let them rest under a cloth for 30 minutes longer.

4. Preheat oven to 500°F. Roll each piece of dough into a circle about 4-inches in diameter. Brush lightly with olive oil then spread with some of the lamb topping, leaving a half inch border. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake 6 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with parsley and mint.

(The pizza dough can be made a day in advance and refrigerated for a day or freeze for longer storage. Just allow enough time for it to come to room temperature for easy stretching.)

Serving Size: 1 pizza

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