Turkish-style
bread topped
with lamb, spices
and pine nuts
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS
// COOK 40 MINS (PLUS PROVINGMinced lamb can sometimes
act almost like a seasoning,
or a garnish in Middle Eastern
cuisine, scattered over
hummus, say, or topping a
lentil soup. In the case of these
spicy Turkish-style flatbreads,
inspired by lahmacun, the
application is rather more
generous, and the final dish
is all the better for it.175 gm shanklish (see note) or
firm feta, coarsely grated
250 gm coarsely minced lamb
3 long red chillies, coarsely
chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted
(see cook’s notes, p192)
and finely ground with a
mortar and pestle
Extra-virgin olive oil,
for drizzling
Roasted pine nuts, thinly
sliced mint and pickled long
green chillies, to serveFLATBREADS
½ tsp dried yeast
375 gm (2½ cups) plain flour,
plus extra for dusting1 For flatbreads, dissolve
yeast in 300ml lukewarm water.
Combine flour and a large pinch
of salt in an electric mixer fitted
with the dough hook. Add yeast
mixture and knead until a soft
dough forms (6-8 minutes). Turn
out onto a lightly floured surface
and divide into six balls.Place
balls on a floured tray, leaving
10cm between each, and set
aside for 1 hour to prove.
2 Preheat oven to 250°C.
Combine shanklish, lamb, chilli,
garlic and cumin ina bowl. Roll
out dough to5mm-thick rounds
on a lightly floured surface,
then scatter each round evenly
with lamb mixture, leaving a
small border. Transfer to oven
trays lined with baking paper,
drizzle with olive oil and bake
(in batches if necessary) until
crisp at the edges but soft in
the centre (15-20 minutes).
Scatter with pine nuts, sprinkle
with mint and serve with
pickled chillies.
NoteShanklish, a hard sheep’s
milk cheese coated in za’atar,
is available from Middle
Eastern grocers.
Beer suggestionTurkish lager.➤400 gm (2 cups) long-grain rice,
such as basmati, rinsed well
80 gm (⅓ cup) ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cinnamon quill
1 tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted
(see cook’s notes, p192)
and finely ground with a
mortar and pestle
6 cardamom pods, bruised
4 cloves
50 gm each golden raisins
and dried barberries
(see note), soaked in cold
water for 5 minutes
Large pinch of safron
threads, crumbled and
soaked in 60ml boiling
water
70 gm roasted slivered
almonds, coarsely chopped
70 gm (½ cup) coarsely
chopped pistachio nuts
1 Boil rice in a large saucepan
of boiling water until par-cooked
(5-7 minutes). Drain well.
2 Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small
saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion, season lightly
with salt and stir until softened
(10-12 minutes). Add spices
and stir until fragrant, then add
drained fruit and half the safron
water and stir to combine.
3 Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large
casserole over high heat.
Add half the rice, spreading it
over base of casserole, scatter
with fruit mixture and half the
nuts, then pile the remaining
rice on top ina pyramid shape
so that it doesn’t touch the
sides. Poke a few holes into
the rice,pourremaining ghee
into holes, thencook, without
stirring, until ricesmells toasted
and fragrant(4-5 minutes).
Drizzle remainingsafron
water over rice, then reduce
heat to low, cover and cook for
30 minutes. Turn of heat, stand
for 10 minutes, then transfer
to a platter. Mix rice and serve
scattered with remaining nuts.
NoteBarberries, small dried red
berries with a tart flavour, are
available from select Middle
Eastern grocers, delicatessens
and online from pariya.com
Wine suggestionAromatic
and rich pinot gris.Jewelled rice
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 55 MINS (PLUS STANDING
The trick here is to let a crust form on the base of the rice, which
you then fold together with all the dried fruit and nuts. Enriched
with ghee and safron, and combining crunch and fluiness, it’s a
side that competes for top billing with any main course.Pictured p85.
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