Lahmenjouns

from Melanie Cummins and Carl Jacobs (my Grandpa)

DOUGH
¼ cup Water
2 pkg Yeast
½ tsp Sugar
3 cups Milk, heated
2 TBL Shortening, melted
1 ½ tsp Salt
2 TBL Sugar
8 cups Flour


1. Proof yeast first. Dissolve 2 pkg yeast and ½ tsp of sugar in ¼ cup water in a small bowl. Set aside and allow to rise.
2. In a mixer, add warm milk, melted shortening, sugar and salt. Add flour a cup at a time up to 6 cups. Use the break hook to mix/knead dough.
3. When dough is cooled off, add the yeast. Rinse bowl with a small amount of warm water to wash off all the yeast. Continue to mix/knead dough.
4. Once the yeast is all mixed in, add the 2 additional cups of flour and mix/knead dough.
5. Grease bottom of large pan. Place dough in greased pan; then turn dough greased side up. Cover pan with a cloth and put in a warm area (or cover pan with warmed cloth). Let dough rise until double in bulk.
6. Cut off dough and shape into balls the size of a small tangerine. Set on a floured board, cover with a dry towel.
7. Roll each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle 7-8” in diameter.

MEAT MIXTURE
1 # Ground lamb (or hamburger)
½ cup Green pepper, chopped
¾ - 1 cup Parsley, finely chopped
1 med Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 2/3 cup Canned tomatoes, mashed (can use diced tomatoes)
½ tsp Allspice
1 tsp Red pepper (or can use a mixture of paprika mixed with red pepper)

1. Mix all the above ingredients together in a large bowl with hands or potato-masher
2. Place rolled dough onto small 8” pie tins or individual foil sheets.
3. Spread 1½ -2 TBL meat mixture on dough with fork or fingers (should be kind of sparse so meat cooks through)
4. Bake at 450°. 6-8 minutes on the bottom rack (just above bottom heat). Meat will be light pink. Then bake 6-8 minutes on top rack (about 4” from top heat) until meat is lightly brown. Always bake on bottom rack first. (you may have to adjust heat, time or rack level to get the desired doneness of dough and meat)

Storage: keep leftovers in fridge or freezer

From Frozen: thaw in microwave for about 30-45 seconds

To Serve: you can eat them plain or serve them similar to a gyro. Place a couple thinly sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and a spoonful of tzatziki sauce and/or hummus in the middle of the Lahmenjoun. Fold in half to eat.

TZATZIKI SAUCE
½ cup Cucumber, peeled and diced
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 TBL Fresh mint, shopped

1. Place peeled/diced cucumber in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse cucumber, drain well and pat dry on paper towels
3. Mix the yogurt, garlic, mint and cucumber in a bowl
4. Cover and chill.