Amye’s Lahmajo
Lahmajo, simply put, is an epicurean hug to my Armenian family, my parents and grandparents, for whom it was a touchstone to our roots and a source of comfort and nourishment.When I was a kid, there was always lahmajo and Armenian string cheese at my grandparents’ home during the holidays.It rarely made it to a plate, and no utensils were ever necessary. I like to make my own pita as a base for lahmajo (see my recipe, below), but you can use purchased pizza dough or your favorite store-bought pita bread. My fondest memories with my grandfather are in the kitchen working with different doughs; choreg, lavash, breads, and sweets, which were always around the kitchen. The same remains true in my own kitchen now.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned plum or Roma tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon gochujang or chili paste
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 pound ground lamb (I use Lila’s Mountain Farm)
- Homemade dough (recipe below), premade dough, or pita
- Topping Suggestions: Lemon wedges • Za’atar/sumac and pickled red onion • Armenian string cheese, stringed (I buy this at Guido’s or Nejaime’s) • Coarsely chopped parsley with lemon zest • Feta (or marinated feta) • Chopped fresh herbs • Avocado
Instructions
- Place a pizza stone or oven-safe nonstick skillet in the oven and preheat to 500°.
- Put all ingredients (except meat and dough) into a food processor and blend until mixture is the consistency of tomato sauce.
- In a large bowl, combine the meat and sauce and mix with your hands until well incorporated.
- If using dough, divide it into 8 portions and roll out as thinly as possible, making sure each one singly fits onto the pizza stone or skillet that is in the oven (you can also use an inverted cookie sheet). Make the balls smaller if you must. You will probably need to cook the lahmajo one at a time.
- Top each lahmajo with ½ cup of the meat mixture and spread it thinly over the dough. You can also add cheese at this time if you like. Using a piece of parchment paper or pizza peel, place the lahmajo into the oven and close the door quickly. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. If the dough or meat mixture is still wet, bake 1 to 2 minutes more. (Note: Move quickly once you have the meat spread over the dough, otherwise it will add too much moisture and stick to the peel.)
- Enjoy with toppings of your choice, or nothing at all (just a squeeze of lemon is most traditional). Cut into wedges and enjoy!
Notes
I enjoy working with my garden bounty in my lahmajo variations. Embracing the changing flavors of the seasons, I might add veggies like red pepper, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, or kale. I’ll add them to the food processor with the canned tomato and onions and blitz with the sauce before mixing into the lamb.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK LOADER