Lamb Pizzettes

(1,639)

This recipe is based on the Arabic lamejun, a thin piece of dough topped with minced meat, then baked. Here Grace Parisi flavors ground lamb with cumin, mint and pine nuts. Recipe Tips from F&W Editors More Lamb Recipes

Lamb Pizzettes
Photo: © Kana Okada
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Yield:
5 dozen pizzettes
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts

  • 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

  • 1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chile oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 30 mini 2-inch pitas, separated into 2 rounds each

  • 1 pound ground lamb

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange the pitas cut side up on the baking sheets and brush with olive oil. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, shifting the sheets, for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and crisp.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the mint with the scallions, cumin, cinnamon, pine nuts, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the lamb and knead until evenly combined. Spread each pita with a slightly rounded teaspoon of the meat mixture and bake for about 8 minutes, shifting the baking sheets, until the lamb is cooked through.

  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of chile oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and season with salt and pepper. Spoon small dollops of the yogurt onto the pizzettes and garnish with a drop of chile oil. Serve right away.

Make Ahead

The lamb pizzettes can be baked earlier in the day and reheated gently before serving. The chile-yogurt sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

Suggested Pairing

Cassis-scented Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley.

Originally appeared: December 2009

Related Articles