Turkish Lahmacun

If you are feeling inspired by the Great British Bake off – why not try your hand at “Turkish Pizza” Lahmacun – pronounced Lahamajoun – a deliciously chewy, moreish flatbread that many call the Turkish ‘pizza’.

Prep 45 min
Rest 1 hr
Cook 5 min
Makes 4 pizzas

For the pizza dough

350ml luke-warm water
1 tbsp dried yeast
1 pinch sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
500g strong white bread flour (or 00 pasta flour)
1 pinch salt

For the topping

2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 fresh green chilli
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tomato puree
Zest of ½ lemon

To serve

1 handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 tsp sumac
Extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Mix the warm water, yeast, sugar and oil in a bowl, and leave for about 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the flour and salt for a few seconds. Then, with the motor still running, slowly add the liquid, and keep mixing until the dough no longer sticks to the sides and is soft, glossy and stretchy – about five minutes. Alternatively, you can mix the dough and then knead by hand for 10 minutes. Stretch the dough between two hands, if you can see through the thin layer of dough that forms then it’s ready.

Cover the dough so it’s airtight, and leave somewhere warm for about an hour. Once it has doubled in size, turn out and knead for a few more minutes, until soft.

Heat the oven to its hottest setting and put a pizza stone or heavy-based frying pan in to get really hot.

Finely chop or blitz the topping ingredients in a food processor to a rough, salsa-like texture. Season well with salt, then pour the topping into a sieve and stir until most of the liquid has drained off, and you’re left with a thick, tomatoey salsa-sauce.

On a well floured surface, split the dough into four and roll each piece out into a 5mm-thick round. Remove the hot pan from the oven and carefully put a circle of dough into the pan. Put two tablespoons of the sauce on top and spread evenly in a nice, thin layer.

Bake for about five minutes, until bubbly, golden and charred at the edges. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the fresh herbs and sumac, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with the rest of the dough and topping and serve immediately.

This recipe appeared in Anna Jones’ Guardian column.