Lahm bi Ajeen (لحم بعجين) — Lebanese Lamb-Topped Flatbread with Spiced Tomato

• 360 gall-purpose flour (plus 10 g for dusting)
• 220 mlwarm water (about 38–40°C)
• 5 ginstant yeast
• 6 ggranulated sugar
• 7 gfine sea salt
• 30 mlolive oil
• 500 gground lamb (80–85% lean)
• 220 gtomato (grated on a box grater, skin discarded)
• 140 gyellow onion (very finely grated)
• 120 gred bell pepper (very finely minced)
• 12 ggarlic (finely minced)
• 30 gtomato paste
• 10 mlpomegranate molasses (adds tang and color)
• 15 mlfresh lemon juice
• 2 tspAleppo pepper (use 1 tsp for milder heat)
• 1 tspground allspice
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 20 gfresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1lemon (cut into 6 wedges)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough by whisking the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add the warm water and olive oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.

2. 2

   Knead the dough for 8 minutes by hand (or 6 minutes in a mixer on medium-low) until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form it into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for 60 minutes at 24–27°C until roughly doubled.

3. 3

   While the dough rises, prepare the topping by combining ground lamb, grated tomato, grated onion, minced bell pepper, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Stir in tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and black pepper, then mix for 1 full minute until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly sticky.

4. 4

   Chill the topping for 15 minutes to help it spread thinly and bake evenly without sliding. During this time, place a baking steel or inverted sheet pan in the oven and preheat to 260°C for at least 20 minutes so the base browns quickly.

5. 5

   Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces of about 103 g each. Shape each piece into a tight ball, cover with a towel, and rest for 10 minutes so the dough relaxes and rolls without shrinking.

6. 6

   Roll each dough ball into a thin round about 18–20 cm wide, dusting with up to 10 g flour total as needed to prevent sticking. Transfer the round to parchment paper and spread about 150 g of the lamb mixture over it in a very thin, even layer, leaving a 5 mm border.

7. 7

   Slide the flatbread (on parchment) onto the preheated steel or hot sheet pan and bake for 7–9 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and the topping is cooked through with slight browning. Repeat with remaining rounds, keeping the oven hot and working in batches of 1–2 depending on your oven size.

8. 8

   Finish by sprinkling each lahm bi ajeen with chopped parsley while still hot so the aroma blooms. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, and squeeze exactly 1 wedge per flatbread for a bright, traditional finish.