Vegan Labneh, Spinach & Za'atar Lahmacuns

Lahmacuns are delicious little Turkish Pizzas, which are traditionally made with spiced lamb. However, I have adapted the recipe to make it vegan, using spinach, vegan feta, homemade vegan labneh and za’atar.

I am also working on a vegan version of spiced lamb Lahmacuns!

Ingredients for the Dough

Makes six Lahmacuns

• 120g plain flour
• One half teaspoon dried yeast
• One quarter teaspoon salt
• One and one half teaspoon olive oil
• Pinch of sugar

Vegan Spinach, Feta and Za’atar Lahmacuns Topping

• 150-200g spinach
• One half small red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 30g vegan feta cheese
• One quarter teaspoon za’atar
• A pinch ground cumin
• A pinch sumac
• A pinch salt flakes
• One half tablespoon olive oil plus some for frying
• Flat leaf parsley
• One half lemon (to serve)

Vegan Labneh and Za’atar

• 100g vegan Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon za’atar
• One quater teaspoon sumac
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• A pinch salt flakes
• A little flat leaf parsley
• A little mint
• 1 pickled cucumber or chilli (optional)
• One half lemon to serve

To Make the Dough

1. Measure out just over 100ml tepid water in the jug. Put the yeast in the small bowl then add the sugar and olive oil. Stir in about 4 tablespoons of the water and leave for a minute or so until the yeast has dissolved a little.
2. Measure out the flour and put in the mixing bowl with the salt and yeast mixture.
3. Add the rest of the water as needed to make a soft pliable dough without it being too sticky. Knead for five minutes on a lightly floured worktop.
4. Put the dough back into the mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel so it does not dry out. Leave for 1-2 hours in a warm place to prove.

For the Spinach and Feta Cheese Lahmacuns

1. Wash the spinach and put it in the colander to strain.
2. Finely slice the onion and crush and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the parsley.
3. Put about half a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for about five minutes or until translucent. Roughly chop the spinach, add it to the frying pan and cook until wilted. Add the cumin.
4. Make the herb mixture by putting the za’atar, sumac, salt and oil into the small bowl and mixing them together.
5. Pre-heat the oven to the hottest temperature.
6. Roll out the dough into six thin discs, each about five or six inches wide.
7. Put the flat bread discs on the baking trays slightly dusted with flour to stop them sticking.
8. Spread the spinach mixture over the lahmacuns and bake in the oven for between 2-5 minutes so that they are still a bit soft but slightly charred around the edges.
9. Crumble the vegan feta cheese onto them, drizzle the za’atar oil over with the parsley sprinkled on top. Serve with the lemon and marvel in their cute little deliciousness.

For the Labneh and Za’atar Lahmacuns

1. Follow the instruction above (1-4) for making the lahmacuns discs, then bake them without any topping for 2-5 minutes.
2. Make the za’atar mixture in the small bowl as above.
3. Finely chop the mint and parsley and slice the pickles.
4. When the lahmacuns are baked spread the homemade vegan labneh over each of them, spoon and spread the za’atar oil over, then sprinkle with herbs and top with the pickles.
5. Serve with lemon!
6. Enjoy!

Finally, here is how to make the homemade Vegan Labneh!

You will need:

• 250g Vegan Greek Yogurt
• A pinch of sea salt

Making the Labneh

• At least six hours before you wish to use it, put the Greek yogurt, mixed with a little salt, into the middle of the muslin cloth and hang it over the bowl in the fridge so that it can strain to make the labneh. You can leave the labneh to strain for longer if you wish to create a firmer texture or to make labneh balls, which can be preserved in a jar in herby oil.
• Serve in a beautiful bowl and garnish with olive oil and herbs or spices of your choice.
• That’s it! You’re done!