Street Food
Lahmajun (Armenian Flatbread with Spiced Meat)
Ingredients
- - For the dough: 400g (3 1/4 cups) plain flour, 7g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast, 250ml (1 cup) warm water, 1
- - tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt
- - For the topping: 300g (10.5oz) minced lamb or beef
- - 1 onion, finely diced
- - 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- - 2 tomatoes, finely diced
- - 2 tbsp tomato paste
- - 2 garlic cloves, minced
- - 1 tsp paprika
- - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- - 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- - Lemon wedges, for serving
Method
- Make the dough by combining flour, yeast, salt, olive oil and warm water into a smooth dough; knead minutes, cover and rest 45 minutes.
- For the topping, finely chop or pulse the onion, pepper and tomatoes together with the minced meat until well combined into a spreadable paste.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic, paprika, cumin, chili flakes and parsley.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 balls and roll each very thinly into an oval or round.
- Spread a thin, even layer of the meat topping over each dough round, right to the edges.
- Bake on a hot tray or pizza stone at 250C (480F) for 6-8 minutes until the edges are crisp and the meat is cooked through.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over, rolled up for eating on the go.
Introduction: Lahmajun is a thin, crisp flatbread topped with a spiced minced meat and vegetable mixture, baked quickly in very hot ovens and sold hot from street stalls and bakeries across Armenian communities.
Cultural Background: Lahmajun is a thin, crisp flatbread topped with a spiced minced meat and vegetable mixture, baked quickly in very hot ovens and sold hot from street stalls and bakeries across Armenian communities. Often called ‘Armenian pizza’ by outsiders, it is eaten rolled up with a squeeze of lemon and fresh herbs, making it one of the most popular grab-and-go foods in Armenian daily life.
Tips: Spread the topping very thinly and evenly for the classic crisp, quick-cooking lahmajun texture. A pizza stone preheated in the oven gives the closest result to a traditional wood-fired bakery oven.
Variations: Vegetarian version: replace the meat with finely chopped mushrooms and walnuts mixed with the same spiced vegetable base. Add a handful of fresh arugula or lettuce inside when rolling for extra freshness.
Storage: Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a hot oven or dry pan for a few minutes to re-crisp; microwaving will make the base soft.
Nutrition: Per piece (of 8): approx. 220 kcal, 10g protein, 8g fat, 27g carbohydrates, 2g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: Is lahmajun the same as pizza? A: It shares a flatbread base but is much thinner and topped with a spiced raw meat mixture that cooks directly on the dough, rather than cheese and sauce. Q: How is lahmajun traditionally eaten? A: It’s typically topped with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon, then rolled up and eaten by hand, often on the go.
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