Lahmajoun (Armenian Pizza)

Lahmacun or Lahmajoun is an Arabic dish consisting of a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat (most commonly beef and lamb). Lahmacun is often served sprinkled with lemon juice and wrapped around vegetables- including pickles, tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuce, and parsley or cilantro.

I first heard about lahmajoun from Judy's blog. I didn't really think about it until I was browsing a recipe website and their featured recipe of the day was Lahmajoun (Armenian Pizza), so I decided to give it a try. This was my first time having a Lahmajoun (term used lightly, since I'm sure it's not authentic at all)

1 pound lean ground lamb
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
4 pita breads, or fluffy tortillas

1. Place ground lamb in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and break into small pieces until mostly browned. Drain any excess grease. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste, then season with parsley, basil, mint, cumin, and if using, cayenne. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Distribute the lamb mixture evenly over the tortillas, and spread out to the edges. Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. These can be served hot or cold. Cut into small wedges.

I usually use ground beef, or pork if my grocery store doesn't have ground beef. Kevin really likes this and I've already made this 3 times. I like it too, however, it's not the best recipe to bring to lunch unless you're work has a toaster oven. Soggy pita is not yummy. This is best served the same night you make it. The pita is crispy and yummy.