It's no secret that today many Russian dishes are popular in Russia. One of these dishes is Armenian lamaggio. This is a cake made of dough mixed with a sour-milk drink with meat filling. This is an unusual, juicy and spicy food, the preparation of which is described in the article.
Dish history
This dish has appeared long ago and is an integral part of the culinary traditions of Asian and Middle Eastern states. Consider a dish of Armenian cuisine - lamajo. Both professionals and amateurs are interested in the recipe for this dish.
Armenian culinary traditions can be called ancient. After all, they are already several thousand years old. Many believe that methods of making lamajo appeared originally in Arab countries. In the VIII century, the inhabitants of Armenia borrowed a recipe for this dish from the invaders from the East. In addition, in Turkey there are also traditions of preparing such a dish, only it is called there a little differently.
Features of lamaggio
In Armenia, this food is prepared both on holidays and on ordinary days. It resembles a tortilla or traditional Italian pizza. Lamaggio according to the Armenian recipe includes dough without the addition of yeast on kefir, minced beef or lamb, lard, vegetables and spices.
The dish is part of the menu of street catering establishments in many cities, for example, in Yerevan. In order to prepare the dough for lamaggio, you need a special sour-milk drink. This is a traditional Armenian kefir - yogurt. To prepare such a drink, various types of milk are used (cow, goat, sheep). However, Russian housewives often prepare dough based on ordinary kefir, which can be purchased at the store.
Instead of minced lamb, some use beef or pork. Another feature of the dish is the addition of a large number of spices.
Today on the Internet and cookbooks you can find information on how to make lamajo. Step by step the Armenian recipe and the secrets of the dish are also known in Russia.
Traditional Dairy Product - Yogurt
This drink resembles kefir, widely known in Russia. Yogurt is prepared on the basis of fresh milk, and some housewives use different types of it (goat, cow, sheep). To get such a drink, you must do the following:
- Boil the milk.
- Cool it to a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius.
- Ferment milk by adding a little yogurt and mix it.
- Then the vessel with the drink is covered with a dense cloth, placed in a warm place.
- The ripening process should take from 4 to 12 hours.
- Then the yogurt must be placed in the refrigerator. After two to three days, the resulting product is filtered using a small rag bag.
- Yogurt is not recommended to be made from milk purchased at the store.
This drink is considered very beneficial. It improves the condition of the body, slows down the aging process.
Matsoni is used for sandwiches, cooking soups, vegetable and meat dishes. According to the Armenian recipe, Lamaggio traditionally includes the addition of this drink.
Rules for the preparation of food
To please yourself and your loved ones with such a delicious dish as lamaggio, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Only crushed ingredients should be placed on the surface of the cake. The filling should not be put, but spread on the dough layer. It is this feature of the preparation of lamaggio that differs from Italian pizza.
- For the filling, it is customary to take liquid minced meat. In order for beef or lamb to acquire the desired texture, it is scrolled in a meat grinder at least two times.
- Minced meat is spread on the surface of the cake in a thin layer.
- Lamaggio is a pretty spicy dish. In order to properly make it, many spices are used, for example, cilantro, onion, basil, garlic.
And although today you can find many descriptions of cooking lamajo, step-by-step Armenian recipes, you need to remember the above tips to make the dish exactly the way you need it.
Traditional way
In order to make lamajo, the following ingredients are needed:
- 200 milliliters of kefir.
- 400 grams of wheat flour.
- One and a half teaspoons of salt.
- 250 grams of chopped meat (lamb or beef).
- Bell pepper (1 piece).
- 2-3 cloves of garlic.
- Tomato (1 piece).
- Onion head.
- A bunch of greens (parsley or cilantro).
- Seasonings.
- Tomato paste (1 tablespoon).
First you need to cook the dough. In order to make it, sift the flour, mix it with salt. In the middle of the resulting mass, a hole is made into which the fermented milk product is added. Mix the mass again. If you look at the dough for lamajo in the Armenian recipe step by step with the photo, you will notice that it has a dense consistency.
The basis for the tortillas is wrapped in a special film and left for 15 minutes. At this time, meat is minced and vegetables are cooked. Pepper and onion must be washed, peeled, cut into small pieces. Garlic to grind. The tomato is washed, peeled, chopped. All vegetables, as well as chopped greens, are placed in a large container.
Tomato paste and spices are added to the meat, salt it. Some recommend scrolling lamb or beef with pork fat and a little water. This way you can get softer stuffing. Then the meat is mixed with vegetables.
The dough is cut into several parts, taking into account the desired size of the cakes. Then it needs to be rolled thinly like pita bread. The filling is applied to the surface of the cakes, spreads evenly and gently on them. Lamaggio is baked in the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.
Yerevan lamajo tortilla: Armenian recipe
In order to prepare this option, you will need the following products:
- 1 kilogram of lamb, beef or chicken.
- 300 grams of onion.
- 1 kilogram of fresh dough.
- 250 grams of lamb.
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Salt, seasoning.
- 3 cloves of garlic.
- Greens.
The meat is scrolled in a meat grinder with lard, mixed with onions, garlic, tomato paste. Add spices and salt. Then put the mass to infuse for 10 minutes.
The dough is prepared from flour mixed with water and salt. Small balls are formed from it, then the cakes are rolled out. The filling is spread on their surface. Then the cakes are baked in the oven.
Cheese recipe
According to the Armenian recipe, Lamaggio can be prepared without the use of minced meat. The option of this dish with cheese will appeal to those who do not eat meat.
This recipe has much in common with the traditional way of cooking. To make lamajo in this way, use salty cheese (soft and hard), as well as spices (mint, basil, pepper).
For cooking, you need to rub the cheese or cut it into small squares. Place on the surface of pre-rolled cakes, add seasonings, chopped greens. Put lamaggio in the oven. Such a cake is usually eaten with butter.
Ways of serving dishes
There are several recommendations on how to serve lamaggio on the table. Scones should be eaten hot. Before serving, lamajo is usually sprayed with lemon juice. The food should be served in a large capacity, folding cakes in the form of a slide.
Lamaggio is a pretty savory dish. Its spicy taste perfectly sets off the tan drink. This is a traditional Armenian dairy product. It has a salty aftertaste. Tang is often served with tortillas.
You can make such a drink at home. To do this, add the yeast for yogurt to the boiled milk. When the fermented milk product is ready, you need to pour a little mineral water into it.
Many chefs are interested in how beautifully these traditional cakes are served. There are many options for serving lamajo in Armenian recipes (you could find the photo of the finished dish in the article).