Turkish Lahmacun at Home
Lahmacun is a very thin dough rolled until it is almost see-through, topped with a thin layer of raw minced meat seasoned with tomato, pepper and parsley. It bakes at very high heat for just 6–8 minutes, so the base crisps underneath at the same moment the topping cooks.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 48 min
- Calories
- 290
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Rainer Zenz assumed (based on copyright claims). — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lahmacun isn’t pizza — the key difference is that the topping goes on raw in a very thin layer, and the dough is rolled until it is nearly translucent. That is why it cooks in minutes and rolls up like a wrap.
Method
-
1
The dough
Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, then add the oil and warm water gradually. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and not sticky. Cover it and leave it to rise for an hour until doubled in size.
-
2
Draining the tomatoes — the pivotal step
Grate the tomatoes and put them in a colander for 15 minutes with a pinch of salt, then squeeze them by hand at the end. If that water gets into the topping, the round turns soggy and the dough will never crisp. The same goes for the onion — squeeze it in a piece of muslin.
-
3
The topping
Mix the minced meat with the drained tomatoes, pepper, squeezed onion, garlic, parsley, pepper paste, spices and salt. Knead the mixture by hand for 3 minutes until it becomes a smooth paste — this makes the topping stick to the dough instead of falling off.
-
4
High heat
Heat the oven to its highest setting (250–270°C) with a metal tray or pizza stone inside for a full 30 minutes. The heat stored in the tray is what crisps the base instantly and stops the dough drying out.
-
5
Rolling thin
Divide the dough into 8 balls, and roll each one on a lightly floured surface into a 25 cm circle, almost as thin as paper. Thinness is the difference between a real lahmacun and a heavy pie.
-
6
Spreading and baking
Spread a very thin layer of topping (just 3–4 spoonfuls) right to the edges, pressing it on with your fingertips. Bake on the hot tray for 6–8 minutes until the edges turn golden. Take it out and cover it with a towel so it stays soft.
-
7
Serving
Squeeze lemon along the round, put parsley, red onion and tomato slices in the middle and roll it up like a wrap. The lemon isn’t decoration — its sourness balances the fat in the meat.
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Tips that actually matter
- Drain the water from the tomatoes and onion — the most important step in the whole recipe.
- Knead the topping by hand until it holds together, so it sticks to the dough.
- Heat the tray inside the oven for 30 minutes — the stored heat is what crisps the base.
- Keep the topping layer very thin — a thick topping cooks slowly, so the dough dries out before it is done.
- Cover it with a towel after baking so it stays soft and rolls without cracking.
People also ask
What is the difference between lahmacun and pizza?
Lahmacun has a much thinner dough with no cheese or cooked sauce, and the topping goes on raw in a thin layer. It bakes for just 6–8 minutes at very high heat and is eaten rolled up, not sliced.
Why does the round come out soggy underneath?
Water from the tomatoes and onion. Grate the tomatoes, leave them in a colander with salt for 15 minutes and squeeze them, and squeeze the onion in muslin. Also make sure the tray has heated for 30 minutes before baking.
Can I make it without Turkish pepper paste?
Yes — replace it with a spoon of tomato paste and a teaspoon of sweet paprika. The flavour will be a little lighter, but the recipe works. The Turkish paste gives a distinctive smoky depth if you can find it.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Bake it for just 4 minutes (half-cooked), cool it completely, put baking paper between the rounds and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from the freezer at 220°C for 4–5 minutes.
Cook mode
Turkish Lahmacun at Home
-
1
The dough
Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, then add the oil and warm water gradually. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and not sticky. Cover it and leave it to rise for an hour until doubled in size.
-
2
Draining the tomatoes — the pivotal step
Grate the tomatoes and put them in a colander for 15 minutes with a pinch of salt, then squeeze them by hand at the end. If that water gets into the topping, the round turns soggy and the dough will never crisp. The same goes for the onion — squeeze it in a piece of muslin.
-
3
The topping
Mix the minced meat with the drained tomatoes, pepper, squeezed onion, garlic, parsley, pepper paste, spices and salt. Knead the mixture by hand for 3 minutes until it becomes a smooth paste — this makes the topping stick to the dough instead of falling off.
-
4
High heat
Heat the oven to its highest setting (250–270°C) with a metal tray or pizza stone inside for a full 30 minutes. The heat stored in the tray is what crisps the base instantly and stops the dough drying out.
-
5
Rolling thin
Divide the dough into 8 balls, and roll each one on a lightly floured surface into a 25 cm circle, almost as thin as paper. Thinness is the difference between a real lahmacun and a heavy pie.
-
6
Spreading and baking
Spread a very thin layer of topping (just 3–4 spoonfuls) right to the edges, pressing it on with your fingertips. Bake on the hot tray for 6–8 minutes until the edges turn golden. Take it out and cover it with a towel so it stays soft.
-
7
Serving
Squeeze lemon along the round, put parsley, red onion and tomato slices in the middle and roll it up like a wrap. The lemon isn’t decoration — its sourness balances the fat in the meat.
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