Fillings:

• 500g of finely diced lamb, veal (or beef) with 20-30% fat (suet*)content
• 3 large onions
• 1 large red bell pepper or red capsicum
• 2-3 banana capsicums
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes
• A bunch of parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tsp of paprika (sweet, mild, or hot, optional).

Preparation and Cooking:

• The dough for lahmacun is prepared using the recipe and instructions provided earlier for “plain pide bread.” However, lahmacun is distinguished from pide by its thin texture and much smaller dough portion size. It has a round, uniformly flat shape with a diameter between 8-20 cm and 2-3 mm of thickness. Therefore, the typical dough portion size for lahmacun is less than the size of an egg.
• Preparation of the toppings: Traditionally, lahmacun meat (lamb or beef) is diced very finely, down to the size of lentils. Additionally, the remaining vegetables, including onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic cloves, and parsley (with stems and leaves), are very finely chopped separately. Then, the remaining ingredients, such as olive oil, pastes, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, are mixed in well to combine. It is important to note that the texture of the filling is crucial for it to stick to the rolled-out thin dough, which should be approximately 2-3mm thick. The desired texture can be achieved by further mixing and by adding water or olive oil and/or pepper paste as needed.
• Roll each portion of dough out into a thin (2-3 mm thick) round shape with a diameter between 8-20cm.
• Spread a thin layer of the mixture onto each piece of dough. Note that there is no need to leave a border around the edges.
• The cooking time for lahmacun is about 5-8 min under the oven temperature between 250-300^oC, or until the edges are crispy and the topping is cooked thoroughly.
• The lahmacun is frequently served hot and primarily garnished with a range of vegitables listed in Table ? and illustrated in Figure ?. Although garnish mixtures can vary based on the individual preference, traditional garnish for lahmacun is fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Hints and Comments:

• “Lahmacun” can be translated as “meat with dough”. The name comes from the Arabic “Lahm b’ajin,” where “lahm” means “meat,” and “‘ajin” means “dough”. However, its origin is likely linked to the historical flatbread products dating back to the Mesopotamian, ancient Anatolian and East Asian civilizations.
• Lahmacun is a highly versatile food that can be stored in the freezer. When packing for storage, place a pair of lahmacun face-to-face, with the filled sides touching each other.
• It can also be served with Shish Kebabs.

* Suet is the raw, hard fat found around the loins and kidneys of animals, particularly cows and sheep. Its high smoke point makes it ideal for pastry production and frying.