13014 Makes 8 individual pizzas Wed Aug 06 08:18:05 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 08:57:09 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/13014 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:57:09 GMT These pies are enjoyed throughout the Middle East and are considered by most culinary scholars to be the original pizza. Probably originating in Syria or Lebanon, some believe that the Armenians developed the dish. Armenian bakers dominated the bakery trade in Syria for hundreds of years, and it is likely they adopted the dish from their host country and carried it back to Turkey and Armenia. Middle Eastern Jews emigrating to the south of Rome could have been responsible for the migration of this dish to Italy. (Anatolians emigrating to Naples after the fall of Byzantium is another possibility.) Regardless, we have this region of the world to thank for the luscious pizza enjoyed by all.

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Sauté the onions in the oil until just translucent. Drain off excess oil and allow to cool.

Mix the ground lamb, tomatoes, and tomato paste together. Add the onions and all the other topping ingredients and stir well to combine. Adjust seasonings and reserve. (The topping can be made 1 day in advance and stored refrigerated.)

Add the warm water to a warmed bowl. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and sprinkle the yeast over the surface. Do not stir. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast. Stir in about 1 cup [240 mL] of the flour and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Add the salt and oil and stir in the remaining flour to form a smooth dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with additional flour to prevent sticking as the dough is worked.

Place the dough in an oiled resealable plastic bag, rotating the dough to lightly oil all surfaces. Place in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1½ hours, depending on temperature and location. The dough may be refrigerated overnight, instead of leaving it out to rise. Remove it about l hour and allow it to come to room temperature before proceeding.

Punch the dough down and divide into eight 5-ounce [140-g] portions, forming each into a ball. Cover the balls and allow to rest 15 minutes.

Roll out the dough portions into rounds about 5 to 6 inches [13 to 15 cm] in diameter. Place the rolled rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets and reserve, covered.

Top each round with some of the topping mixture, spreading it to the edge of the dough with a spatula. Bake at 450°F [230°C] for 10 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

Cut each pizza into quarters and using a squeeze bottle, garnish with stripes of whipped yogurt. Serve immediately.

Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients and store in a sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place.

]]> http://www.chow.com Arthur L. Meyer 50 Main 3 onions, minced

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] olive oil

]]> 1½ pounds [675 g] ground lamb

]]> 2 large tomatoes, seeded, chopped, and drained

]]> 3 tablespoons [45 mL] tomato paste

]]> ⅓ cup [80 mL] parsley, minced

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] mint leaves, chiffonade

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] pine nuts, toasted

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] pomegranate molasses or plain molasses

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] fresh lemon juice

]]> ½ tablespoon [8 mL] Lebanese spice mix (see Chef Notes)

]]> Salt and black pepper to taste

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] cayenne (optional)

]]> Whipped yogurt, for garnish

]]> 2 cups [480 mL] warm water

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] sugar

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] active dry yeast

]]> 6 to 8 cups [1.4 to 1.9 L] bread flour, plus more for kneading

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] salt

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] olive oil

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] ground cinnamon

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] grated nutmeg

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] ground cardamom

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] ground cloves

]]> ½ teaspoon [3 mL] ground black pepper

]]> ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] cayenne (optional)

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