Takeout Flatbread 2 Ways

This hack is a reliable family favorite of ours. It’s a great way to turn extra restaurant takeout flatbread into a meal. If you’re anything like me and order food for 8 when it’s just you, the restaurant will likely send you extra bread. My boys love the fresh, round flatbread from our local Greek restaurant. I freeze them and take them out as needed to make pizza for one son and Syrian lachmajin (seasoned ground beef simmered in a sweet tomato sauce atop bread or pastry) for my older, meat loving son. Lachmajin is typically served in mini size alongside a variety of other traditional appetizers, called mezze. I’m a Jew of Ashkenaz descent and I love Syrian and Sephardic foods of all kinds. An authentic Syrian cook might weep at my version of lachmajin, but I based it off of actual recipes I’ve used in the past and my son likes it. This is an easy recipe that you can whip up start to finish in about 30 minutes, making it a great last minute dinner or after school snack.

Hack 1: Pizza

You don’t need me for this one. Simply top each flatbread with the sauce, cheeses, and toppings of your choice and bake on 375 until desired doneness. Kids will be thrilled with homemade pizza, especially if they can assemble it themselves.

Hack 2: Lachmajin

Ingredients for 3, each about 10 inches round:
3 flatbreads
1 lb ground beef
A cup tomato sauce
2 generous tbsp apricot jam
1 generous tbsp tomato paste
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp salt, scant 1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/4 tsp of Ras el Hanout spice (a spice blend common in Sephardic cooking) or similar spice mixture.

Put the oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet or large pan and set aside. Heat a medium pot with a couple tbsp of oil and brown the ground beef. Drain most of the fat. Add all the ingredients EXCEPT the egg. Mix to combine and bring to an active simmer, simmering for about 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture thickens. Stir every couple of minutes, adjust jam and seasonings to taste if necessary. Brush each flatbread with some beaten egg wash while the meat simmers, leaving a 1/2 to 1 inch border. When the meat has thickened enough, turn off heat and let cool for a couple minutes. Generously spoon some meat mixture onto each flatbread, using the back of the spoon to gently press down to distribute, leaving that same inch ish border for holding. Bake in middle oven rack for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the meat topping is kinda set. Let it settle for a few minutes before slicing into large wedges to serve, either with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Can serve with chummus.