Imagine biting into a crispy, fluffy pizza-like bread topped with perfectly seasoned minced meat and loaded with veggies! Whether you know it as lahmajeen, lahmacun, sfeeha, meat pie, or pide, it’s a delicious treat in every form!
Lahmajeen Meat Pies
Ingredients
**Dough:**
- 2 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of instant yeast
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
- 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
**Beef Filling:**
- 1 pound of ground beef 80/20
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 2 jalapeños seeds removed and diced
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of Aleppo pepper
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of coriander
- 1 teaspoon of allspice
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses optional
**Assembly:**
- Milk or heavy cream for brushing the dough
- Additional flour for dusting
Instructions
**Making the Dough:**
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, instant yeast, lukewarm water, sugar, olive oil, and plain yogurt.
- Use a stand mixer with a hook attachment or mix by hand with a wooden spoon/rubber spatula until a soft, elastic dough forms. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly sticky but manageable. Add a tablespoon of flour if too sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour until it doubles in size.
**Making the Meat Filling:**
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, red bell pepper, tomatoes, parsley, garlic, jalapeños, chili powder, cumin, coriander, allspice, salt, black pepper, onion powder, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses if using. Set aside.
**Assembly & Baking:**
- Preheat your oven to 475°F.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal portions, shaping each into a tight ball. Dust with flour.
- Roll out each ball into a thin circle, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Spread a generous amount of beef filling on each circle, pressing it down firmly.
- Place the prepared circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with milk or heavy cream.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving warm.
- Get ready to enjoy this delicious fusion of flavors and textures!