Lahmajoun is sometimes called "Armenian pizza" — but that undersells it. It's thinner, crispier, and more intensely flavored. The topping is finely minced meat with tomatoes, peppers, parsley, and spices spread paper-thin over the dough and baked at high heat. Rolled up with fresh lemon, it's one of the most satisfying things you can eat.
Ingredients
Dough: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp yeast, 1 tsp sugar, ¾ tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¾ cup warm water.
Topping: ½ lb ground lamb or beef, 1 tomato (diced and drained), ½ red bell pepper (finely diced), 1 onion (grated), 3 garlic cloves (minced), ¼ cup parsley, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp allspice, 1 tbsp tomato paste, salt to taste.
Serve with: Fresh lemon, parsley, sliced tomatoes.
Make dough and topping
Bloom yeast in warm water 5 minutes. Knead with remaining dough ingredients 8 minutes. Rise 1 hour. For topping: mix all ingredients into a paste — drain tomato well first.
Roll, top, and bake
Divide dough into 6 balls. Roll each as thin as possible. Spread a very thin layer of meat to the edges. Bake at 500°F for 5–7 minutes until browned and crispy.
Serve
Squeeze lemon over the hot lahmajoun, add parsley, roll tightly, and eat immediately. No fork needed.