Recipe
Lahmajo (Armenian Pizza)
լահմաջո
A classic Armenian dish, also known as Lahmajoun or Msalosh.
Pair with 2018 Areni
Ingredients
Lavash dough, plus flour for dusting
One 14.5 oz can whole plum tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste or red pepper paste
½ yellow onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, including stems
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb ground lamb or lean beef
Finely chopped mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Place a baking stone or steel in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 550°F (290°C).
In a food processor, pulse tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, parsley, garlic, oil, paprika, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes.
Place the meat in a bowl and add contents of the food processor. Using your hands, mix until evenly incorporated. You will have about 4 cups of filling.
To shape the lahmajo, lightly dust the counter with flour. Place a ball of dough in the center and pat into a round. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle about 10 inches in diameter.
Slide a sheet of parchment paper onto a pizza peel or large cutting board and place the dough on top. Spread slightly less than 1/2 cup of the mixture evenly over the dough.
In one quick motion, slide the parchment off the peel directly onto the pizza stone in the oven. Bake 5-6 minutes, or until the edges are evenly browned and the meat is cooked through.
To take the lahmajo out of the oven, slide the parchment paper onto the pizza peel or use a pair of tongs to pull the lahmajo and parchment paper onto a cutting board. Repeat process with the remaining dough and topping, evenly dividing the topping among the dough portions.
Top with mint if desired. Include lemon wedges to serve.
From “Lavash: The Bread that launched 100 meals, plus salads, stews, and other recipes from Armenia,”
by Kate Leahy, John Lee, and Ara Zada
