Lahm bi Ajeen

also called lahm bi ajeen · lahm b'ajine · lahm bajin · lahmajun · lahmacun · sfiha · sfeeha · sfeeha baalbakia · meat pie · Arabic meat flatbread

The table

2(250 g; grated, skins discarded)ripe tomatoesdrain the tomato and onion 20 minwork the meat through the pasteroll thin, spread to the very edgebake at 500°F 8 min
1 medium(grated)yellow onion
1 tspkosher salt
12 oz(340 g; fatty shoulder)ground lamb
1 Tbs(15 mL)pomegranate molasses
1 Tbs(15 g)tomato paste
1 tspground allspice
1 tspAleppo pepper
1/4 tspground cinnamon
2 Tbspine nuts
3 cups(390 g)all-purpose flourknead 8 min, prove 1 1/2 hr
1 1/2 tsp(5 g)instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp(9 g)fine sea salt
2 Tbs(30 mL)olive oil
1 cup(240 mL)warm water
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1drain the tomato and onion 20 min

2knead 8 min, prove 1 1/2 hr

3work the meat through the paste

goes in with what step 1 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 46 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
8 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr 45 min.

  1. knead 8 min, prove 1 1/2 hr

    1 hr 38 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. drain the tomato and onion 20 min

    20 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. work the meat through the paste

    not timed20 min in

  4. roll thin, spread to the very edge

    not timed1 hr 38 min in

  5. bake at 500°F 8 min

    8 minwalk away1 hr 38 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need baking steel · oven

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Lahm bi Ajeen
>> category: Flatbreads & Pancakes
>> tags: lamb, bread, yeast, oven, pomegranate molasses, lebanese
>> counters: Shawarma Counter
>> aka: lahm bi ajeen, lahm b'ajine, lahm bajin, lahmajun, lahmacun, sfiha, sfeeha, sfeeha baalbakia, meat pie, Arabic meat flatbread
>> pairs-with: pomegranate-molasses, sumac-onions, labneh
>> servings: 8
>> time: 2 hr 45 min
>> step.1: knead 8 min, prove 1 1/2 hr
>> step.2: drain the tomato and onion 20 min
>> step.3: work the meat through the paste
>> step.4: roll thin, spread to the very edge
>> step.5: bake at 500°F 8 min

Knead @all-purpose flour{3%cups}(390 g), @instant yeast{1 1/2%tsp}(5 g), @fine sea salt{1 1/2%tsp}(9 g), @olive oil{2%Tbs}(30 mL) and @warm water{1%cup}(240 mL) ~knead{8%min} to a firm, smooth dough, then ~prove{1 1/2%hr} covered until doubled. Firmer and drier than the manakish dough, because it has to be rolled paper-thin and carry wet meat without tearing.

Salt @ripe tomatoes{2}(250 g; grated, skins discarded) and @yellow onion{1%medium}(grated) with @kosher salt{1%tsp} and ~drain{20%min} in a sieve, pressing at the end. Every drop left in here ends up steaming the base into a soggy sheet.

Work @ground lamb{12%oz}(340 g; fatty shoulder), @pomegranate molasses{1%Tbs}(15 mL), @tomato paste{1%Tbs}(15 g), @ground allspice{1%tsp}, @Aleppo pepper{1%tsp}, @ground cinnamon{1/4%tsp} and @pine nuts{2%Tbs} into @&(~1)drained tomato and onion{} until it is a spreadable paste rather than a mince.

Roll @&(~3)proved dough{} into eight rounds barely thicker than paper and spread @&(~1)meat paste{} over each one right to the rim in a thin, even film. The meat sits **on** the dough and is never enclosed — that is the whole difference between this and a fatayer, and it is also why the layer has to be thin enough to cook through in the time the base takes.

Bake @&(~1)topped rounds{} on a hot #baking steel{} in the #oven{} at 500°F (260°C) ~bake{8%min}, until the edges blister and the meat has just lost its raw colour. Squeeze lemon over, roll it up, eat it standing.