Pizza Like Turkish Dishes – Pide and Lahmacun

Pizza is a simple dish to prepare, and simple enough that most cultures with some sort of bread have some sort of similar product. For those interested in those options with a Mediterranean flavor, the pide and lahmacun may be of interest.

Pide

The pide may already seem familiar to some as the bread is essentially a pita, a flatbread that can be cooked with or without a pocket. The pide is one of those foods that helps nail down where someone is from as each region has its own method of cooking it as well as the general range of toppings. Although a wide variety of vegetable and cheese toppings are available what really defines a pide is the meat, which adds a sucuk (a spicy sausage), pastirma (air-cured meat), and kavurma (meat fried with suet and salt for later use). For those used to American pizzas, the major difference is the lack of tomato sauce, but otherwise this can be a crunchy alternative.

Lahmacun

Lahmacun roughly translates as “meat with dough” and there is some controversy as to whether it is Turkish or Armenian. It is a flat round piece of bread served with minced meat or vegetables, as well as herbs, parsley onion, and tomatoes. It is baked and then some lemon juice is applied just before it is wrapped around vegetables. It can also be served without toppings and a salad on it as well. The key to this is that it may be served flat, but it is quickly wrapped rather than folded up like some eat their pizzas.

Practicality

The key feature to any pizza-like food is that it is easy and portable. Lahmacun has an advantage here as it is wrapped making it easy more compact and easier to carry around. However, the pide is also portable and is the right size for a sandwich bag. There is the lack of sauce, but that makes them better for those looking for something light for lunch without as much mess. These items are traditional peasant foods, making them well designed for lunches and easily modified for breakfasts. For those looking for something a little different these may be some great ideas.