Lahm bi Ajeen (Lebanese Open-Faced Spiced Meat Pies)
Local name: لحم بعجين
In short: Thin dough rounds spread with a spiced mixture of ground lamb, tomato, onion and pomegranate molasses, baked until crisp at the edges. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 505 kcal
Lahm bi ajeen means meat on dough. It is a thin, open-faced pie topped with ground lamb or beef, tomato, onion and a splash of pomegranate molasses that gives it a gentle sourness. The topping goes on raw and cooks directly on the dough in a hot oven. Squeeze lemon over it and eat it warm, folded in half, with a bowl of plain yogurt on the side.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and the water and knead for 8 minutes, until smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- Drain the diced tomatoes in a sieve for 10 minutes. Squeeze the chopped onion in a clean towel to remove the juice.
- Mix the meat, tomatoes, onion, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, seven-spice mix, salt, pepper, chili flakes and parsley with your hands until you have a thick, spreadable paste.
- Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with two baking sheets inside. Divide the dough into 12 balls, cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll each ball on a square of parchment paper into a thin round about 14 cm (5 1/2 in) wide. Spread about 3 tbsp of topping over each one, right to the edge, pressing it into the dough.
- Using the parchment, slide 6 pies at a time onto the hot sheets, 3 on each. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the meat is cooked through (71°C / 160°F). Bake the remaining pies the same way.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and yogurt. Fold each pie in half to eat.
Tips
- Squeeze the onion and drain the tomatoes so the topping does not make the dough soggy. A little fat in the meat keeps the topping juicy.
- The thinner the dough, the crisper the base, so roll it as thin as you can without tearing. Freeze baked pies for up to 2 months and reheat them in a hot oven.
Questions and answers
Can I use ready-made dough?
Yes. Roll out pizza dough as thin as you can, top it and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.
What is pomegranate molasses?
It is a thick, dark syrup made by boiling down pomegranate juice. It tastes sweet and sour. If you cannot find it, use 1 tbsp lemon juice with 1/2 tsp sugar.
How do I reheat lahm bi ajeen?
Warm the pies in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 5 minutes, or in a dry skillet for 2 minutes per side. The microwave softens the crust.
How long does it take to make Lahm bi Ajeen (Lebanese Open-Faced Spiced Meat Pies)?
About 1 h in total: 35 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Lahm bi Ajeen (Lebanese Open-Faced Spiced Meat Pies)?
About 505 kcal per serving, with 20 g of protein, 60 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 505 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 60 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
