Lahmacun (Turkey)

Make the pizza dough and leave to rise twice.

Meanwhile fry the onions in 3 tablespoons of oil until soft but not golden. Add the tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thick and the liquid has disappeared.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Put the raw meat in a bowl with all the topping ingredients including the tomato mixture and work well into a paste with your hands. Knead the dough again for a few minutes and divide into 3 parts.

Roll each out as thinly as possible on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin and ease onto 3 oiled baking sheets about 14 x 16 inches in size.

Spread a thick layer of meat mixture on each sheet of dough. Let them rest for 10 minutes, then bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has cooked and the dough is brown around the edges. Cut into squares.

cook's notes

A quick and easy lahmacun can be made with the same filling on bought, opened-out pita bread.

Variation: Adding 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the fried onion lends a delicious sweet and sour flavor.

Recipe Source: "Mediterranean Cookery," by Claudia Roden