Sumac-spiced lamb pides

Author: Marthinus Strydom
Category: Lamb

Spice up your usual pizza night, with these Turkish Sumac Spiced Lamb Pides. They are just the thing to do it.

Method

  1. First make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, olive oil, a pinch of salt and 300ml warm water. Bring together with your hands or in a tabletop mixer, then knead for 10 mins by hand or 5 mins in a mixer, until soft and elastic. Put the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a sheet of oiled cling film and leave to rise for 2 hrs or until doubled in size. You can also pop the dough in the fridge and leave to rise overnight. (Take out of the fridge and leave for 1-2 hrs to bring back to room temperature to use.) - If you don't have time to make the dough you can use store bought puff pastry.
  2. For the topping. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add onion and cook for a few mins until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the lamb, increase the heat and fry until starting to brown, about 8 mins. Sprinkle in spices and stir for 1 min, then add purée, tomatoes, pomegranate molasses and seasoning, along with 50ml water. Simmer for 10 mins, stirring now and then – the mince should be sticky rather than saucy. Leave to cool.
  3. Dust 2 large baking sheets and the work surface with semolina. Knock any air bubbles out of the dough, then tip onto work surface and divide into 4. Working with 1 piece at a time – keeping remaining dough covered with the oiled cling film – roll into a thin oval shape, roughly 30cm long. Place the rolled dough on baking sheets. Divide mince mixture between the 4 pides, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Roll the edges over the filling and pinch the ends together to form a pointy boat shape. Cover with the oiled cling film and leave to prove for 20 mins.
  4. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Uncover pides and brush the edges with a little oil. Sprinkle the feta, sesame seeds and a good pinch of sumac over each pide and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden. Serve with salad and pickled Turkish chillies, if you like.

For the dough
500 g strong white bread flour
1½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp (6 Teaspoons) olive oil
semolina, for rolling
For the topping
1 tbsp (3 Teaspoons) olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300 g lamb mince
1 tbsp (3 Teaspoons) cumin
2 tsp sumac, plus extra to serve
½ tsp allspice
1 tbsp (3 Teaspoons) tomato purée
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tbsp (6 Teaspoons) pomegranate molasses
100 g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp (3 Teaspoons) sesame seeds
salad and pickled turkish chillies, to serve (optional)