Spicy lamb pizza with pickled red onions (lahmacun)

Thin and crisp with a spicy lamb topping, the lahmacun is an easy do-it-yourself pizza that doesn’t require yeast or proving time. With a wholemeal base, no cheese and a minimalist approach to the toppings, this is a healthy mid-week pizza that doesn’t have to fall under the ‘special occasion’ banner.

Make your own thin and crispy base in no time with this spicy lamb pizza with pickled red onions. Credit: Sharyn Cairns

• serves

  2

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  8 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, finely sliced (see Note)
• 100 g lamb mince
• 100 g (1 small) tomato, seeds removed, chopped
• ½ roasted red capsicum, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup parsley leaves, half the leaves chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp chillies flakes
• juice of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
• salt and black pepper
• green salad to serve (optional)

Base

• 120 g (1 cup) wholemeal four
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Resting time 10 minutes

Instructions

To make the base, combine the flour, salt and baking powder in bowl. Add the olive oil and 60 ml (¼ cup) lukewarm water and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 4–5 minutes until smooth. Divide dough into 4, roll into balls and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 230˚C and place two oven trays inside to heat up.

Combine three quarters of the onion with the lemon juice, a pinch of chilli flakes and a large pinch of salt. Toss to combine and set aside until ready to serve.

Place the lamb, tomato, roasted capsicum, garlic, remaining onion, chopped parsley, ground coriander and chilli flakes in a small food processor. Season to taste and process until well combined and paste-like (you may need to scrape down the bowl a few times). Alternatively, place all the ingredients on a chopping board and run your knife through the mix until well combined and finely chopped.

On a floured surface roll the dough into 16 cm rounds. Divide the lamb mixture between the bases and smooth into a thin layer, spreading right out to the edge. Transfer the lahmacuns to the preheated oven trays and cook for 7–8 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through, until the bases are golden and the lamb is just cooked.

Drain the onion and combine with the parsley leaves. Serve lahmacuns topped with pickled onions, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges.

Note

• For some body and texture in the onions, don’t slice too thinly and only pickle for a few mins. They go really soft if left for too long in the lemon juice. You could do rounds instead of half circles if you like.

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Tiffany Page. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.