Antep Lahmacunu
Gaziantep Lahmacun in a Pizza Oven
Gaziantep, Southeastern Anatolia
Gaziantep's lahmacun uses more tomato paste than fresh tomato, giving the topping a denser character that adheres tightly to the crust as it bakes. The distinctive touch is finely crushed walnuts mixed into the meat paste — barely visible, but they add a quiet richness and help bind the topping. Red pepper paste (biber salçası) provides a brighter, tangier heat than pul biber. The result is more complex and layered than the Istanbul standard.
What sets it apart — Walnuts in the paste, ground almost to a powder so they do not announce themselves — they add richness and texture, not crunch. The pepper paste gives a brighter, less smoky heat than isot or pul biber.
How many lahmacuns?
makes 4 × 85g rounds
340 g total dough
340 g total dough
The dough · baker’s %
- Flourstrong white / 00210 g
- Water58% hydration120 g
- Salt4.2 g
- Instant yeast×1.25 active-dry · ×3 fresh1.1 g
- Olive oil1.1 g
Bake
Roll thin, spread edge to edge. The paste clings well thanks to the tomato paste — no bare patches. Bake at maximum heat.
Serving ritual
Rolled with lemon, parsley and sumac onion. Some Antep spots serve it with a side of pickled green chilis.
Topping — scaled for 4
- Ground lamb or beef (20% fat)220 g
- Tomato paste48 g
- Red pepper paste (biber salçası)32 g
- Onion, grated and drained60 g
- Spring onion, finely sliced32 g
- Walnuts, very finely ground (near powder)32 g
- Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped20 g
- Pul biber, cumin, black pepperto taste
Walnut and pepper paste mince
Grind the walnuts almost to a paste before mixing — they should disappear into the topping. The tomato and pepper pastes bind the meat more firmly than fresh tomato, so this paste holds its shape better on thin dough.Ferment & prep: Same dough as standard lahmacun. Bulk-ferment 1–1.5 h, ball, rest 20 min.