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Ana Sortun’s Lahmajoun
An aficionado of the food and cooking of the Mediterranean, Ana Sortun, cookbook author and award-winning chef at Oleana, Sarma and Sofra, all in the Boston area, has a deep knowledge of Turkish cuisine. She taught us her way of making lahmajoun, a Turkish flatbread topped with ground meat (typically lamb, though beef works, too) seasoned with tomatoes, bell pepper and spices. Though lahmajoun often is very thin, hers are thicker and more substantial, with a soft yet chewy crust; the generous topping melds with the dough during baking. Sortun prefers to hand-chop the ingredients for the topping, combining them on the cutting board and running a knife over them until they’re well integrated; this method yields a rustic texture. If, however, you favor speed, the topping can be made in a food processor; see the instructions below. The common way to eat lahmajoun is to squeeze on some juice from a lemon wedge and roll up the flatbread. This recipe makes smallish lahmajoun with thicker-than-typical crusts, so feel free to cut them for serving or simply fold them in half for easier eating, but be sure to offer lemon wedges on the side.
12
5-inch lahmajoun
Don’t compact the topping into a patty when flattening the dough. Keep the meat mixture loose and distribute it as evenly as possible on the round. When dimpling the rounds with your fingers, don’t be afraid to push some of the topping into the dough so the meat mixture fuses with the bread during baking.
2¼ hours
1 hour active
For the dough:
-
293
grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
-
01To make the dough, in a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and table salt on medium until well combined, about 15 seconds. With the mixer on low, gradually add the water and oil; mix until a sticky, slightly curdy dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase to medium and continue kneading, scraping the bowl once or twice, until the dough is smooth, supple, elastic and clears the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes; if needed, knead in up to 2 tablespoons additional flour. The finished dough should feel slightly tacky but not unworkable. Meanwhile, oil a large bowl.
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