Lebanese Lahmajoun

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Dough base

1. 1
   Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the lukewarm water and leave about 5 minutes, until the mixture foams.

   💡If the mixture doesn't foam in that time, the yeast is no longer active, or the water was too hot. Start over with fresh yeast and body-temperature water.
2. 2
   Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
3. 3
   Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil and Knead about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
4. 4
   Cover and Let rise 1 hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.

For the Pastry Filling

1. 5
   Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan
2. 6
   Add the onion and fry 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 7
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
4. 8
   Raise the heat to medium-high and add the meat. Press it flat over the bottom and leave it for 2–3 minutes without stirring, until a brown crust forms.

   Stove

   💡Brown ground beef in the pot without pressing it: leave it as one 'cake' for a few minutes until a brown crust forms, then break it into chunks. Deep browning = deep flavor.
5. 9
   Break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 5–7 more minutes, stirring, until no pink is left and the meat browns.

   StoveWooden spoon
6. 10
   Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the meat and cook about 10 minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the filling is thick.

   Stove

   💡Cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated: a wet filling leaks out at the edges and opens the pastry during baking or frying.
7. 11
   Add the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and fry another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
8. 12
   Remove from the heat and cool the filling completely, about half an hour.

   💡Fill dough only with completely cooled filling: a hot filling softens the dough, makes it hard to seal and makes the pastry soggy inside.
9. 13
   Stir in the parsley.

   💡Fresh herbs and egg go only into a filling that has cooled: that way the herbs stay green, and the egg doesn't cook but binds the filling.
10. 14
    Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F), with a baking stone inside.

    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
11. 15
    Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll each ball into a circle very thin, 2–3 mm.

    ⚙ Dividing into Balls and RollingRolling pin

    💡Dough that springs back needs rest: cover the balls for 10 minutes and the gluten relaxes.
12. 16
    Spread a very thin layer of the meat filling on each round, all the way to the edges.

    💡The filling bakes along with the dough in just a few minutes, so spread a very thin layer: a thick layer stays raw inside and makes the dough soggy.
13. 17
    Bake on the hot stone 12–15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the meat is cooked.

    ⚙ BakingOvenBaking stone (pizza stone)

    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
14. 18
    Serve hot with fresh herbs, and roll up.