Ingredients for 2 big Lachmatzoun:

• For the dough:
• 350gr of hard white flour
• 1 tsp of dry yeast
• 150 ml of warm water
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• Few drops olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of salt

For the filling:

• 225gr lamb mincemeat
• 1 big onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic crushed with salt
• 1 tomato peeled and finely chopped
• 1 green chilli pepper finely chopped
• 1 bunch of parsley finely chopped
• 4-6 tsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp full of butter
• 1 tbsp full of lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Notes:

• Many people believe that Lachmatzoun is eastern speciality and in particular Arabic.
• It is however also Armenian, that the Greeks of Armenia brought it with them when they immigrated to Greece.
• Lachmatzoun is also made in Lebanon, changing the ingredients a little.
• Specifically by using coriander and pomegranate seeds instead of green peppers.
• However it is a dish that has its roots in the Greek antiquity.
• “Meat Pies” were usual dishes of ancient Greeks and Byzantines, as they combined the dough with a small quantity of meat that was at the time not consumed in the excessive quantities that we have learned today.
• Meat Pies are also ancestor of pizza that was passed on to the neighbouring Italians – from who else? – The Greeks that as we know conquered the Roman Generals with their culture.

Method:

• Mix the yeast and the sugar in some warm water until it foams.
• You leave it near the oven that is warm to inflate.
• Sift the flour and mix it with the salt in a bowl.
• Make a hole in the centre and add the yeast and remainder water.
• With your hands you knead the flour to tight dough, adding more water if needed.
• On a flat surface, porcelain or melamine, work the dough until it becomes workable.
• Poor a few drops of olive oil in bowl and place in the dough covering it with a humid kitchen towel place in hot place until it is doubled in size.
• Preparation of the filling.
• Fry the chopped onion with the butter, add the melted garlic until they are translucent.
• Place the minced meat in a bowl and the remainder ingredients of the filling excluding the tomato paste.
• Add the fried onions with the garlic in the filling and mix well.
• Separate the dough in 2-3 equal pieces and with a rolling pin open until they become level and round.
• Stretch them with your hands a little.
• Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius and warm up your baking pans.
• Place the pies on parchment paper and place on each one a thin layer of tomato paste and on top of that a thin layer of filling.
• You cook them in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes.
• The dough should remain soft in order that you can if you want to wrap it up.
• Squeeze some lemon juice over boiling hot Lachmatzoun, garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
• Lachmatzoun can be eaten open or wrapped.
• Accompany with Greek Yogurt.