Lahmajoun Workshop

Flatbread topped with minced meat mixed with finely chopped vegetables and aromatic spices.

How to Make it

1. For the dough: Sift flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and yeast and mix them throughout.
2. Make a well in the middle and pour in the warm water followed by the olive oil.
3. Use a wooden spoon to mix the dry ingredients in from the sides until it all comes together. Start using your hands to knead when necessary.
4. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes, until the dough holds together. Transfer to a floured surface to continue kneading if necessary. It'll be sticky and quite liquid but that’s okay. Flour the sides of the bowl and leave the dough to rest in the bowl, covered with a towel.
5. Let it rest for half an hour, while you prepare the topping.
6. For the topping: If using kidney beans, chop them up with a knife before adding them to a large bowl.
7. Then you can mash a bit further with a fork.
8. If using meat, add that to the bowl instead.
9. Finely chop onions, then peppers and tomatoes, and finally parsley.
10. You should barely be able to see pieces left! Keep chopping until the vegetables turn into a paste.
11. If using meat, squeeze out most (not all) of the juices from the peppers and tomatoes before adding to a large bowl. This step is important to make sure the topping doesn’t leak and soften the dough too much, but the juice is full of flavor so keep a little in.
12. If using kidney beans, since they are quite dry, keep ALL the juices of the vegetables.
13. Mince the garlic and add to the mixture along with the tomato paste and spices.
14. Combine everything really well with your hands (important) until it forms a homogeneous paste (it should be spreadable with a spoon).
15. Assembly: Prepare 2 baking trays with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 230°C.
16. Cut the dough into 6 portions.
17. Roll 2 portions out into thin circles. I recommend trying to get it as thin as you can without tearing it, but anywhere between 1 - 4mm should be good. They don’t have to all be the same size or thickness, just keep it in mind when baking since some may take longer than others (hence the range of time in the last step). Transfer one to each tray.
18. Spread 1/6th of the topping mixture, either with the back of a spoon or with your fingers, on the dough. Leave very little space around the edge since this will make sure that the dough doesn’t rise too much: traditionally lahmajoun is very thin with virtually no crust. Don’t add too much topping: it’s okay to see some of the base through the topping.
19. Bake for 10-11 minutes.
20. When ready, the dough should be dry and start to form brown spots around the edges/crust.
21. While baking, roll out the next 2 portions of dough and spread topping on them.
22. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, lay out fresh parchment paper and repeat.
23. Serve hot with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. To eat, squeeze some lemon juice over the meat, roll up the lahmajoun and eat it in tubes. Enjoy!