What separates etli ekmek from lahmacun is its length and how thin the dough is. In Konya it is rolled out to almost half a metre and becomes as thin as paper. That length is hard at home, but the thinness is essential: dough rolled thick puffs up as it bakes and the etli ekmek turns into a pide. Set the oven as high as it goes and heat the stone, or an upturned tray, beforehand. Nothing in the topping should release liquid, so always drain the tomatoes.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the mixture
To serve
Method
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Knead the dough
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for 5 minutes. Knead with the flour and salt for 10 minutes, adding the olive oil at the end.
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Let it rise
Cover and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour, until doubled.
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Make the topping
Mix all the topping ingredients with your hand. Make sure you have taken the seeds out of the tomatoes.
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Drain the topping
Leave the topping in a sieve for 20 minutes. Throw away the liquid that collects; liquid in the topping wets the dough and makes holes in it.
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Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 250 degrees with the baking stone, or an upturned tray, inside.
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Roll out
Divide the dough into four. Roll each piece on a floured surface to 40 centimetres long and as thin as you can.
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Spread the topping
Spread the topping in a thin layer, leaving 1 centimetre clear at the edges. A thick topping will not cook.
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Bake
Slide onto the hot stone and bake for 5 minutes, until the edges brown.
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Serve
Brush with melted butter, cut lengthways and serve with lemon.
Tips
- Always drain the topping. A wet topping soaks the dough and makes a hole through the middle.
- Roll the dough as thin as you can; thick dough puffs up as it bakes and turns into a pide.
- Set the oven as high as it goes and heat the tray beforehand. Dough laid on a cold tray never browns underneath.
- Do not spread the topping right to the edge, leave 1 centimetre; topping that spills burns on the tray.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.