Name: Lahmajoun
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Armenian
Ingredients: For the dough: 2.5 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp sugar; 3/4 tsp salt; 3/4 cup warm water; 2 tbsp olive oil; For the topping: 300g ground lamb; 2 tomatoes, very finely chopped and drained; 1 medium onion, grated; 1 red bell pepper, very finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 1/4 tsp cayenne; 1/4 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp salt; Black pepper to taste; To serve: fresh flat-leaf parsley, lemon wedges

Crisp, paper-thin Armenian flatbreads topped with a finely spiced lamb and tomato paste, rolled up with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon — known as Armenian pizza but far more ancient than any pizza.

The Cultural Story

Lahmajoun predates pizza by centuries. It is documented in Armenian manuscripts from the medieval period, part of a culinary tradition that stretches back to the ancient kingdoms of Urartu. The name comes from the Arabic lahm bi ajeen, meaning 'meat with dough,' which reflects the trade routes and cultural exchanges that shaped Armenian cuisine over millennia. The Armenian version is distinctively its own: the dough is rolled almost translucent, baked at very high heat for just a few minutes until the edges crisp and bubble while the center stays flexible. The topping is a finely minced paste of lamb, tomato, onion, and spices — never chunky, always smooth, spread to the very edges. You eat lahmajoun by squeezing lemon over it, scattering fresh parsley leaves across the surface, then rolling it into a cylinder and eating it from one end. The combination of crispy dough, savory lamb, sharp lemon, and fresh herb is one of those perfect flavor sequences that requires no improvement. In Armenian bakeries in Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles, the lahmajouns come out of wood-fired ovens every few minutes all day long.

Ingredients

For the dough: 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
For the topping: 300g ground lamb
2 tomatoes, very finely chopped and drained
1 medium onion, grated
1 red bell pepper, very finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
To serve: fresh flat-leaf parsley, lemon wedges

Instructions

1Make dough: dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Combine flour and salt, add yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead 8 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest 1 hour until doubled.
2Make topping: combine all topping ingredients and mix very thoroughly until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. It should spread easily. Drain off any excess liquid.
3Preheat oven to its highest setting (250-260C / 480-500F) with a baking stone or heavy baking sheet inside.
4Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface — nearly translucent, about 25-28cm in diameter.
5Spread a thin, even layer of the meat paste across each round, all the way to the edges.
6Working in batches, place lahmajouns on the hot stone. Bake for 5-7 minutes until the edges are crisp and blistered and the topping is cooked and beginning to caramelize.
7Remove from oven. Scatter fresh parsley leaves over the surface, squeeze lemon juice generously, and roll into a cylinder. Eat immediately.

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