Armenian Meat Flatbread (Lahmajo)
Լահմաջո lahmajoSay it: lah-mah-JOH
Lahmajo is built for the moment hunger hits: a round of yeasted dough rolled almost paper-thin, spread with a peppery minced-meat paste, and baked at high heat until the rim blisters. In Western Armenian kitchens it is a fast lunch or street-style snack, often folded around parsley, onion and lemon. The thin dough means the topping sets in minutes, while onion, tomato and red pepper paste keep the meat moist. Each bite runs from crisp edge to tender center, with a bright, spiced flavor.
Armenian Meat Flatbread (Lahmajo)
Լահմաջո, lahmajo
Pronounced lah-mah-JOH
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
Topping
To serve
Method
Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a wide bowl and whisk them together. Pour in the warm water and olive oil, stir until the mixture looks rough and shaggy, then turn it out and knead for 8–10 minutes on a surface dusted with flour, stopping when the dough is smooth and elastic.
Put the dough in a bowl brushed with a little oil, cover it, and leave it in a warm spot until it has doubled, roughly 1 hour. For a deeper flavor, let it rise in the refrigerator overnight instead.
While the dough rises, chop the onion, tomato, bell pepper, garlic and parsley in a food processor until they are very fine but not smooth. Tip the mixture into a fine-mesh sieve and press out the extra juice, then throw the juice away.
In a mixing bowl, stir the drained vegetables into the ground meat along with the tomato paste, red pepper paste (or the tomato paste and hot paprika substitute), sweet paprika, cumin, allspice, salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Work it by hand or with a spoon until it holds together as a spreadable paste, then leave it for 15 minutes.
Put a pizza stone or a heavy upside-down baking sheet on the middle shelf and heat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. Deflate the dough and cut it into 6 balls of about 4 oz (115 g) each; cover them and let them rest for 10 minutes.
On a flour-dusted counter, roll each ball into a very thin circle 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) across, turning and lifting it as you go so it does not stick. If it resists and shrinks back, wait 2–3 minutes, then finish rolling.
Set one round on parchment paper or a floured peel. Smear about 3 tablespoons of the topping over it in a very thin layer, keeping a slim border clear. Slide it onto the hot stone or sheet and bake for 5–7 minutes, until the rim is golden and the meat is bubbling with a few darker patches. Continue with the rest.
Move each hot lahmajo to a board, add a squeeze of lemon, then scatter chopped parsley and sliced onion over the top. Fold or roll it up and eat while warm.
Regional variant: Spicy pomegranate lahmajo (lahmajo with narsharab)
Stir 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes into the meat mixture, and use only 1 tablespoon tomato paste. The molasses darkens and glazes the topping in the hot oven, leaving a sweet-sour sheen; finish with pomegranate seeds or a little sumac.
Cook's notes
- Stop the food processor while the vegetables are still finely chopped; extra draining keeps the base from turning soggy.
- No stone? The back of a heavy sheet pan works when heated thoroughly, giving each round strong oven contact.
- As the lahmajo come out, pile them beneath a clean towel; the trapped warmth keeps them pliable for rolling.
Serve with
Bring lemon wedges, chilled ayran, pickles, and a bowl of chopped parsley with sliced red onion to the table.
Make ahead and storage
The meat topping keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To bring baked lahmajo back, warm them in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes on each side until they soften and bend.
