Levante Lahmacun: Lahm bi Ajin

Lahmacun is now known to everyone who has eaten at least once in a Turkish restaurant or snack bar. However, the name Lahm bi Ajin is not really known by many people who have not happened to visit the Levantine countries or have their roots there. It's time to change that.

When we have Manakish, we usually have Lahm bi Ajin. On the one hand, that's great because I really love both incredibly. On the other hand, I am spoilt for choice. I always calculate: "Okay, I can definitely eat 3 pieces. How do I divide it up? Two pieces with meat and one with za'atar? Or the other way round? Or maybe I can still manage a fourth? Maybe one of my siblings will share with me?" You already realise that these are absolute luxury problems 😀

The difference between Lahmacun and Lahm bi Ajin

Let's get back to the name. The names both mean the same thing: meat with dough. Lahm means meat and bi Ajin means with dough. And believe me, you really can't get more meat on dough. That's why I sometimes call Lahm bi Ajin the Levant burger. With Lahmacun, the Turkish version, the meat is rather sparse and the dough much thinner and is usually rolled to eat. Lahm bi Ajin is simply folded over. While we're on the subject of differences: Lahmacun usually includes peppers, where lahm ajin only comes with tomatoes. At least the way I know them. But both versions are definitely delicious.

Treat yourself to a pizza stone

By the way, I bought a pizza stone especially for the recipe for Lahm bi Ajin. My mother uses her ominous aluminium oven, which seems to be in every Lebanese household. I'd like to have one too, but unfortunately I haven't seen one for sale yet. Therefore: pizza stone!

Of course, you can do it without a pizza stone, but then the base won't be as fluffy and crispy. So if you have a few euros to spare, treat yourself to one of these stones.

To the Lahm bi Ajin there are ...

When you finally have your Lahm bi Ajin on your plate (by the way, in Lebanon they don't use the "bi" and just say Lahm Ajin), refine your mince pizza with some fresh lemon juice and just fold it over. As a side dish, I always have some fresh yoghurt and a few pickles.

Feel free to try the recipe and leave me a comment telling me how you liked it.

By the way, the little sister of Lahm bi Ajin is called Sfiha.

Recipe for Lahm bi Ajin

Levante Lahmacun: Lahm bi Ajin

You can't get more meat on dough 😉

Print Pin recipe

Recipe for: 8 piece

Equipment

• Pizza stone
• Food processor

Ingredients

For the dough

• ▢ 500 g Wheat flour
• ▢ 7 g Dry yeast
• ▢ 200 ml Water - lukewarm
• ▢ 100 ml Milk - lukewarm
• ▢ 50 ml Olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp Salt

Meat mixture

• ▢ 500 g Minced beef
• ▢ 1 Onion
• ▢ 1,5 Tomatoes
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• ▢ 1,5 tsp Salt
• ▢ 3 tsp Pomegranate syrup
• ▢ Pepper

Preparation

For the dough

• Dissolve the sugar in the water and then stir in the dry yeast and leave for about 5 minutes.
• Mix the salt and flour together.
• Add the yeast mixture to the flour and knead.
• Add the remaining ingredients and knead into an elastic dough for about 20 minutes.
• Leave the dough covered to rise at room temperature for approx. 90 minutes.

For the meat mixture

• Peel and finely chop the onion.
• Finely dice the tomatoes.
• Mix all the ingredients together well and season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.

Prepare Lahm bi Ajin

Preparation with pizza stone

• Preheat the oven with the pizza stone to 250 °C top and bottom heat. The stone must be hot for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and leave to rise again for approx. 10 minutes.
• Roll out the dough pieces and spread the mince mixture on them. That would be approx. 2 tbsp. per piece. Please use your hands to spread it, it works better.
• Place the Lahm bi Ajin on the hot pizza stone and bake for approx. 7 - 10 minutes.

Preparation without pizza stone

• Preheat the oven to 250 °C top and bottom heat.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and leave to rise again for approx. 10 minutes.
• Roll out the dough pieces and spread the mince mixture on them. That would be approx. 2 tbsp. per piece. Please use your hands to spread it, it works better.
• Place the Lahm bi Ajin on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for approx. 10 - 15 minutes.

Notes

For best results, use the pizza stone method. 

*Recipe contains affiliate links.

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