Turkey's greatest flatbread: paper-thin dough with minced lamb paste, charred in 90 seconds, rolled with parsley and lemon. Eat it in Gaziantep for the original.
About Lahmacun
Turkey's greatest flatbread: a paper-thin round of dough topped with a paste of finely minced lamb, onion, tomato, red pepper, parsley and sumac, baked in a wood-fired oven for 90 seconds until the edges char and the topping caramelises; rolled up with parsley, sliced tomato and a squeeze of lemon; eaten immediately from the oven; the Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa versions are the most intense.
Turkish Flatbread
Lahmacun is one of Turkey's great street foods: a paper-thin round of dough spread with a thin paste of finely minced lamb, onion, tomato, red pepper, parsley and sumac, then baked in a fierce wood oven. It cooks in well under two minutes, the edges charring and the topping caramelising. It is light, crisp and intensely savoury.
“It cooks in well under two minutes, the edges charring and the topping caramelising.”
The Topping
The topping is spread thin so it almost melds into the dough, a fragrant mixture of minced meat and vegetables seasoned with sumac and red pepper. It should be a thin smear rather than a thick layer, which is what lets the whole thing crisp in the hot oven. The balance of lamb, spice and acidity is the heart of it.
Gaziantep and Urfa
The southeastern cities of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa make the most intensely flavoured lahmacun, with more dried chilli, more sumac and more lamb fat than the milder Istanbul versions. These are widely held to be the originals from which the rest derive. The southeast is the place to taste it at its boldest.
How It Is Eaten
Lahmacun is eaten the moment it comes out of the oven, scattered with fresh parsley and sliced tomato, given a squeeze of lemon and rolled into a cylinder. It is never eaten flat with a knife and fork. Cheap, fast and bursting with flavour, it is Turkish street food at its most efficient, and a single one is rarely enough.
What to Expect
The lahmacun emerges from the oven, so thin it can be lifted with a single hand. Parsley and tomato are scattered, lemon is squeezed, it is rolled into a cylinder and consumed in three bites.
Why Try It
Lahmacun is Turkish street food at its most efficient, maximum flavour in minimum time, minimum cost.
Insider Tips
- Roll it immediately with parsley, tomato and lemon, do not eat it flat.
- The Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa versions are spicier and more lamb-forward than Istanbul versions.
- Order two. One is never sufficient.
