Diced Lamb Recipe

Activate yeast and mix dough

In a small bowl combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), sugar and yeast. Stir and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt. Make a well, add yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead and first rise

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic (or knead 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer with dough hook). Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45–60 minutes.

Divide and rest

Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal portions (for individual flatbreads) and shape into balls. Cover and let rest 15 minutes to relax the gluten before rolling.

Prepare lamb and vegetables

While the dough rises, trim any excess fat from the lamb and finely dice into small, roughly 1/4-inch pieces so they cook quickly. Finely chop onion, tomato (seeded to avoid excess moisture), green pepper and parsley. Mince the garlic.

Season and combine

In a medium bowl combine diced lamb, onion, tomato, green pepper, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes), salt and black pepper. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Toss thoroughly so spices and oil coat all pieces. Let sit 10–15 minutes to marry flavors.

Optional quick sear (if you prefer cooked lamb topping)

If you want the lamb mostly cooked before baking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tsp olive oil and sear the diced lamb in a single layer for 1–2 minutes just to color (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove and cool slightly before topping flatbreads. Alternatively leave raw for direct baking — small pieces will cook through.

Preheat oven

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat. If using a baking sheet, preheat the sheet for a few minutes in the oven as well.

Roll out flatbreads

On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a thin oval or round about 8–9 inches (20–23 cm) across. Aim for roughly 1/8-inch thickness, leaving a slightly thicker edge if desired.

Top with lamb mixture

Brush each rolled flatbread lightly with olive oil. Evenly distribute the diced lamb mixture across each flatbread in a single layer, pressing gently so small pieces make contact with the dough. If you seared the lamb first, use the seared pieces; otherwise use the raw mixture.

Bake

Transfer flatbreads to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 7–10 minutes, rotating once for even browning, until the crust is crisp and edges are golden and the lamb pieces are cooked through. Cooking time will be shorter (about 7–8 minutes) if the lamb was seared first, and slightly longer if raw.

Finish and serve

Remove flatbreads from oven. Brush edges lightly with olive oil and sprinkle optional sumac or a pinch more chopped parsley for brightness. Let rest 1–2 minutes, slice and serve warm.