“Slightly sweet and tangy with aromatic spices, these small meat pies will make a great appetizer for your next holiday party or a tasty afternoon snack. Adapted from a recipe by Chef Kamal Al-Faqih, these ‘mini pizzas’ are a fun twist on the regular lahmajoun recipe you may be more familiar with,” says Janelle Leatherwood, founder of the Stuffed Grape Leaf blog (www.thestuffedgrapeleaf.com). “This winter, I was lucky enough to belong to a produce co-op where I was able to purchase pomegranates in bulk at a great price, I have been looking for ways to incorporate pomegranates into my meals. And I always love anything dressed up with pine nuts, even if they are one of the most expensive ingredients you can buy. I keep them in my freezer to preserve them as long as possible.”
“All of my best memories growing up centered around holidays and food. A coffee table filled to the brim with appetizers was center stage at these gatherings. Armenian string cheese, hummus and pita bread, basturma and sarma were Armenian favorites as well as many American-influenced appetizers such as shrimp and cocktail sauce, 7-layer dip and See’s candy chocolates. It became quite the challenge to save any room in my stomach for the actual dinner meal, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” she adds.
Ingredients:
1/2 batch of Heavenly Armenian Pita Bread Dough*
1 lb. ground meat (beef, lamb or turkey)
2 tablespoons olive oil (add more if using lean meat)
