Fillings:
- 1 kg of lamb meat
- 2 kg of tomatoes
- 5 bunches of parsley
- 200g of bell peppers
- 100g of fresh garlic
- 200g of pepper paste
- 1 tsp of black pepper and red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt to taste
Preparation and Cooking:
- For the meat, the preferred choice is about one-year-old male lamb meat from the breast and rib sections while excluding the sinewy parts. The fat content of the meat should be around 20%.
- The meat is hand-chopped using a sharp knife (cleaver) referred to as a “zırh.” At this stage, some salt is added as it makes the breakdown of the meat easier.
- Although the ingredients vary seasonally, fresh peppers (usually local Antep peppers in summer), pepper paste (in winter), tomatoes, garlic, and parsley are all chopped together. Black pepper and red pepper flakes can be added optionally. Then all components are mixed with the minced meat.
- Each 100g dough portion yields two lahmacuns, which are rolled-out to a thickness of 3 mm and with an oval shape of a length of 30 cm and a width of 20 cm.
- The lahmacun mixture is evenly spread on the rolled-out dough. Add twice the amount of mixture (100g) with reference to the weight of the dough (50g). The filling material and dough surface should be combined without leaving any gaps.
- The prepared lahmacun is placed into a wood-fired oven and can be cooked for 3-4 minutes at a higher temperature between 300-350°C. During the baking process, the position of the lahmacun should be changed to ensure even cooking.
- Gaziantep Lahmacun is served warm and can be accompanied by a yogurt drink, ayran, and various greens as garnish. Roasted eggplant is served as a regional specialty.
Hints and Comments:
- Gaziantep is a province in the South East of Turkiye. This is a highly unique local lahmacun type that does not include any onion. However, some seasonal variations are also adapted.
