Armenian meat pies, also known as Lahmajun or Lahmacun, are traditional Middle Eastern pastries that have captured the hearts and taste buds of many. These delightful pies are made with a crispy dough base, savory minced meat filling, and a medley of aromatic spices. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting your culinary journey, this article will guide you through the process of creating the perfect Armenian meat pies that will tantalize your senses and leave you craving for more.
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ARMENIAN MEAT PIES
Provided by internationalrecipes
Time 3h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- For Meat Filling: Mix all together and set aside. For Dough: Dissolve the yeast in the water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the olive oil, sugar, salt, and 1-1/2 cups of the flour. Mix the dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth. Knead in the remaining 1-1/4 cups of the flour, using the dough hook, and knead until smooth. If you do not have a powerful machine, such as a Kitchen Aid, then you should knead in this last bit of flour by hand. Knead until the dough is very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes by machine, 20 minutes by hand. Place the dough on a plastic counter and cover with a large stainless steel bowl. Allow to double in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into equal sized balls. Use 4 balls at a time, placing the remaining balls in the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle. Do not roll too thin. Arrange circles on two large, lightly greased baking sheets. Allow the dough to rise slightly. Cover the entire surface with a thin layer of the meat mixture, spreading it to about 1/4 inch from the edge. Bake at 375 degrees F about 25 to 35 minutes. Do the same with the remaining balls.
ALBANIAN MEAT PIE
Nothing fills you up more then one of Albania's most tasty and comforting classic dishes. This flaky pastry pie is stuffed full of mince, onion and potatoes with a warming hint of paprika.
Provided by My Albanian Food
Categories Savory Pies
Time 1h20m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a saucepan add the olive oil and fry the onions for 2 minutes before adding the mince and browning.
- Add the tomotoe puree, salt, pepper, paprika, potatoes and beef stock. Bring to the boil, leave to simmer for 10 minutes/ When the mixture has thickered and water boiled away turn off the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- If using homemade pastry, place a filo pastry disc in a large baking tray and add filling on top the add the second disc on top and seal the edges by tucking them down.
- For premade pastry, layer sheets of filo pastry on top of each other brushing a layer of olive oil after each one before the next one is place down. Once 6/8 sheet are laid add the filling on top. Repeat the layering until a further 6/8 sheets are on top of the filling - olive oil brushed on each one.
- Put a thin layer of oil over the top.
- Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.
- Once removed from the oven, pour half a cup of water over the top and half a cup of water around the edges. Cover the meat byrek with two tea towels and leave to stand for 1 hour before serving. You can skip this step if you prefer a crisper pie.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 243.2, Fat 13.6, SaturatedFat 5.1, Cholesterol 44.4, Sodium 298, Carbohydrate 16.4, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 0.9, Protein 13.1
LAHMAHJOON (ARMENIAN PIZZA)
These savory pizzas are bathed in a tomato and lamb topping, then cut into wedges to serve. Served hot or cold, these may be an appetizer, or put a little salad in the middle, and fold up like a taco for a quick meal.
Provided by KIMLEFEBVRE
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Ground
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and place the lahmahjoons onto a large piece of aluminum foil so that two of them are meat side to meat side, then stack the pairs together, and bring the foil up over the top to keep warm. These can be served hot or cold. Cut into small wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 476.3 calories, Carbohydrate 52.4 g, Cholesterol 76 mg, Fat 16.5 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 28.7 g, SaturatedFat 6.6 g, Sodium 888 mg, Sugar 11.7 g
LAHMAJOON (ARMENIAN PIZZA)
With my family's Armenian background, I grew up surrounded by great cooks. Since Armenian food is time-consuming and labor-intensive, cooking for any party started weeks in advance. I learned to cook from my mom but have revamped many of her dishes to make them healthier, simpler and quicker, like this version of Armenian Pizza. -Jean L. Ecos, Hartland, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. , Place tortillas on greased baking sheets. Spread 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto each tortilla to within 1/2 in. of edges (tortillas will not be completely covered). Bake at 425° for 9-12 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and edges of tortillas begin to brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385 calories, Fat 9g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 32mg cholesterol, Sodium 671mg sodium, Carbohydrate 55g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 21g protein.
MIDWESTERN MEAT PIES
When I moved to the Midwest in 1966, I discovered many ethnic foods that I had never heard of before. One of my friends introduced me to this runza recipe, and it quickly became a popular dish with my family. -Dolly Croghan, Mead, Nebraska
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 55m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Place 1-3/4 cups flour and the sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Heat the milk, water and shortening to 120°-130°. Pour over flour mixture; add the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Beat an additional 3 minutes on high. Stir in the remaining flour; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes., Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper; cook until cabbage is wilted., Punch dough down; roll into twelve 6-in. squares. Top each square with 1/3 cup meat mixture. Fold into triangles. Pinch edges tightly to seal, and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 368 calories, Fat 13g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 56mg cholesterol, Sodium 443mg sodium, Carbohydrate 48g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 14g protein.
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before starting, gather all the ingredients and equipment you'll need. This will help you stay organized and ensure you don't forget anything.
- Quality Ingredients: Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best results. Fresh herbs and spices will add a lot of flavor to your pies.
- Properly Seasoning: Don't be afraid to season your filling and dough generously. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough before baking helps to prevent it from becoming too soft and difficult to work with.
- Egg Wash: Before baking, brush the pies with an egg wash to give them a golden brown color and a shiny finish.
- Baking Temperature: Bake the pies at a high temperature initially to help them rise, then reduce the temperature to finish baking.
- Resting: Let the pies cool for a few minutes before serving. This will help the filling to set and make them easier to handle.
Conclusion:
Armenian meat pies are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a variety of fillings to choose from, there's sure to be a recipe that everyone will love. Whether you're making them for a special occasion or just a weeknight meal, these pies are sure to be a hit. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to make some amazing Armenian meat pies!
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