Armenian Meat Flatbread (Lahmajo)
լահմաջո lahmajoSay it: lah-mah-JOH
Lahmajo is Armenia's beloved thin flatbread, a hand-stretched round of dough spread with a fine, spiced mixture of minced meat, tomato, pepper and herbs, then baked until the edges crisp and the topping sets. Bakeries across Yerevan pull trays of it from the oven all day, and families make it at home for a quick supper or a table full of guests. The taste is savoury and juicy, with a gentle tang of tomato and a warm hum of chili and sumac. Served with lemon and herbs, rolled up in the hand.
Armenian Meat Flatbread (Lahmajo)
լահմաջո, lahmajo
Pronounced lah-mah-JOH
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 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
Make the dough. whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and olive oil and stir to a shaggy mass, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky.
Shape the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a slow-springing dent.
Meanwhile make the topping. chop the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic very finely, or pulse them in a food processor in short bursts. Tip into a sieve and press out the excess liquid, which would otherwise soak the bread.
Mix the minced vegetables with the ground meat, tomato paste, red pepper paste, parsley, sumac, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, salt and olive oil. Stir firmly for a minute or two until you have a moist, uniform paste, then chill it while the dough rises.
Heat the oven to 480°F (250°C) with a baking sheet or pizza stone inside. Knock back the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces; roll each into a ball and let them rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Roll each ball on a floured surface into a thin round about 8-9 inches (20-23 cm) across and no more than 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
Spread about 3 tablespoons of the meat topping over each round in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch (1 cm) border of bare dough all around.
Slide the rounds onto the hot sheet, two or three at a time, and bake for 6-8 minutes, until the edges are crisp and browned and the topping is set and no longer pink, with little dark spots here and there.
Stack the baked lahmajo briefly under a clean towel to keep them soft, then serve warm with lemon wedges and parsley, rolled up to eat by hand.
Regional variants
Some cooks add a spoonful of chopped walnuts or a little hot paprika to the meat, and in summer a handful of chopped green herbs goes into the topping. In the diaspora, lahmajo is often made with lamb only, which gives a richer, fattier topping.
Cook's notes
- Squeeze the chopped vegetables dry — a watery topping makes the dough soggy in the middle.
- Bake on a preheated sheet or stone and keep the oven hot; lahmajo needs fierce heat for crisp edges and a juicy topping.
- Do not overload the rounds with meat; a thin, even layer cooks through in the time the dough needs.
Serve with
Lemon wedges, extra parsley and sumac, a tomato-cucumber salad, and a glass of ayran or tan (yogurt drink).
Make ahead and storage
The dough can be made a day ahead and risen slowly in the fridge; baked lahmajo freeze well for up to 2 months and reheat in a hot oven for 3-4 minutes.
