Lahmacun

Lahmacun is a thin, crisp flatbread baked with a spiced minced-meat topping. The name comes from the Arabic lahm bi'ajin — "meat with dough" — and versions of it are eaten across Turkey, Syria, Armenia and Lebanon.

What it actually is

A round of very thin dough is spread with a thin layer of minced meat (usually lamb or beef) mixed with grated tomato, onion, garlic, red pepper paste and parsley, then baked for just a few minutes in a very hot oven. The result is soft in the middle with a crisp, blistered edge.

Unlike pizza, lahmacun has no cheese and no tomato-sauce base — the meat mixture is the topping, and it is applied sparingly so the bread stays light.

How it's served

Lahmacun arrives flat. It is dressed at the table with a squeeze of lemon, fresh parsley, and often a little salad or pickled vegetables, then rolled up and eaten by hand. It is rarely cut into slices.

Writing it on a menu

• List it under flatbreads or starters, not under pizza.
• Note that it is dairy-free by default — useful for guests avoiding cheese.
• If you offer a vegetarian version, make the swap explicit (e.g. "with a spiced vegetable topping"), because guests expect meat.
• "Turkish pizza" is a helpful nickname in brackets, but the real name builds trust with guests who know the dish.