• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Med Diet
  • Subscribe
The Matbakh
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Med Diet
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Med Diet
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    Lahm Bi Ajeen (Sfiha) Minced Meat Flatbread

    By Mariam・Published: Jul 21, 2020・Updated: Jun 4, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Sfiha is a minced meat flatbread popular in Lebanon and all over the Arab region. It's made with homemade dough, spiced minced meat, and then baked to perfection. In some Middle Eastern countries, the dish is also known as lahm bi ajeen which is derived from the Arabic words for meat (lahme) and dough (3ajeen).

    sfiha lahm bi ajeen on a plate

    What I Love About This Recipe

    Sfiha, or lahm bi 3ajeen, is all kinds of oven-baked delicious. It takes a little bit of time to prepare, however, once baked the meat pies can be stored in the freezer and reheated. The spiced meat mixture on top of homemade flatbread dough goes well with cucumber mint yogurt, homemade yogurt, or labneh.

    Ajeen Dough Ingredients

    • Warm water: The water's temperature is key because it activates the yeast to help the dough rise. When using active dry yeast, the ideal temperature of the water is between 110 ℉ to 115 ℉ (43 ℃- 46 ℃) when dissolving the yeast directly in water (as recommended in this recipe). If you don't have a thermometer, mix ⅓ part boiling water with ⅔ part room temperature water.
    • Flour: For this recipe, all-purpose flour is recommended. Unbleached flour and wheat flour are appropriate substitutes as well.
    • Active dry yeast: This usually comes in small tins and has a granular texture. Instant dry yeast is different than active dry yeast in that it can be mixed directly into the dry ingredients without needing to be dissolved into the water first. If using instant dry yeast and adding it directly to the other dry ingredients, make sure to use water with a bit higher temperature between 120 ℉ and 130 ℉ (49 ℃ - 54 ℃).
    • Olive oil: Adds a fragrant taste to the dough and is the preferred choice over butter or vegetable oil.
    • Dry powdered milk: I add just a little bit to balance out the flavor. Regular milk is not an appropriate substitute. If you do not have dry powdered milk on hand, skip this ingredient.
    • Sugar: It might sound weird but trust me this teeny bit of sugar makes a huge difference when it comes to taste. You can use white sugar, brown sugar, or cane sugar.
    yeast, sugar, and salt

    Spiced Meat Mixture Ingredients

    • Ground meat: You can use all ground beef, or all ground lamb, or an equal mixture of ground lamb and ground beef. Ground lamb has a higher fat content typically than ground beef, which gets absorbed by the dough.
    • Tomatoes: They add an incredible acidic kick to this recipe.
    • Onions: Prepare the onions by pulsing them with a little bit of salt. Alternatively, you can hand chop the onions finely.
    • Pomegranate molasses: A Middle Eastern staple made of juiced pomegranates, this ingredient is the highlight of this dish.
    • Seven spices: This is a very common mixture of ground spices used in Lebanese cuisine. Seven spices is a ground mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, fenugreek, allspice, pepper, and cloves.
    • Cinnamon: You can a little more ground cinnamon.
    • Salt: Because there's nothing like a well-seasoned piece of sfiha right?
    ingredients to make lahm bi ajeen

    How To Make Lahm Bi Ajeen

    Lahm bi ajeen, or sfiha, is comprised of a meat mixture and homemade dough.

    Prepare the Ajeen Dough

    In a bowl, combine half a cup of warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir the mixture and let stand for a few minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

    In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, dry milk, and salt. Form a well in the mixture. Pour the yeast, water, and sugar combination into the well. Knead with your hands, or alternatively, use a standing mixer.

    yeast in bowl
    adding yeast to flour

    As you knead the dough, slowly add the remaining half cup of warm water, kneading in between each little bit of water added. Keep kneading until you form a ball of dough. Pat the ball of dough with olive oil, cover it with a kitchen cloth and let it rest for an hour.

    the dough on the counter

    Make the Spiced Meat Mixture

    Using a food processor, pulse the onion and salt for a minute. Add the tomatoes, spices, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, and meat to the food processor. Pulse until all of the ingredients are combined.

    minced meat mixture for lahm bi ajeen

    Make The Minced Meat Pies

    Heat the oven to 350 ℉ or 180 ℃. Split the dough into 10 round balls. Flour a surface and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle. Transfer the dough to a greased oven baking dish or parchment paper.

    dough balls
    rolling the dough ball with a rolling pin

    Spread the meat mixture in a thin layer. Evenly space out the meat pies on the baking sheet.

    sfiha meat mixture on dough
    sfiha meat mixture on dough

    Bake at 350 ℉ or 180 ℃ for about 35 minutes until the dough and meat topping is cooked through. Serve immediately.

    Lebanese sfiha minced meat pies

    Tips and Tricks

    The dough is a vital part of this recipe, so here are a few tips that'll guarantee it'll turn out perfect every single time:

    • Make sure to let the dough rest for a good amount of time (usually 2-3 hours).
    • Before the dough is completely rested, knead it with your hands for a bit and let it rest some more.
    • Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or cloth rather than cling film because that allows a little bit of air in.
    • Let the dough rest in a slightly warm (not too hot) area of the kitchen.

    Variations and Substitutions

    This recipe uses tomatoes and onions but you can certainly add more veggies. Green peppers, carrots, and even diced eggplants could work great with the recipe. Get creative with it and make it your own. If using other vegetables, make sure to mince the veggies finely and to choose vegetables low in water content (so the dough doesn't get too soggy while baking).

    You can add a few more spices to the meat mixture. A pinch of red chili flakes to add some heat or even maybe a dash of cumin to balance things out.

    Is Sfiha a Kind of Pizza?

    This is a frequently asked question and the answer to it is both a yes and a no. This lahm bi ajeen recipe is often compared to pizza because of its shape and the fact that it's made up of oven-baked dough and toppings. However, it's quite different from the Italian favorite when it comes to the texture of its dough and the fact that it doesn't include a melted cheesy topping.

    Equipment

    • A rolling pin
    • A good food processor
    • A knife
    • A chopping board
    • 1 large or two medium-sized baking trays

    Storage

    Store baked sfiha in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just bake in the oven at 350 ℉ or 180 ℃ for 8 to 10 minutes or until heated. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Perfect Pairings for This Dish

    Sfiha goes amazingly well with some yogurt cucumber salad or a side of fattoush. In Lebanon, we like to drizzle it with some lemon juice and eat it alongside a bowl of chopped veggies. Some people like to pair this dish with homemade labneh. Others also serve it with a popular Arab yogurt drink called laban ayran.

    Delicious Lebanese Recipes

    • cheese manousheh served on a plate
      Cheese Manakish (Manakeesh)
    • cooked manakeesh on a plate
      Lebanese Za'atar Manakeesh
    • Teta's Manakeesh Dough (Ajeen)
    • fried beef sambousek on a plate
      Lebanese Beef Sambousek
    • fried kibbeh in a bowl
      Fried Kibbeh Balls
    • kibbeh nayeh Lebanese raw kibbeh appetizer
      Kibbeh Nayeh Recipe (Lebanese Raw Kibbeh)
    • baked kibbeh on a plate
      Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Kibbeh)
    • recipe for Shish Barak
      Shish Barak Lebanese Dumplings in Yogurt

    Join The Tribe

    Subscribe to The Matbakh Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest pages. We also have a saucy newsletter.

    📋 Recipe

    sfiha minced meat pieces on a plate

    Lahm Bi Ajeen (Sfiha) Minced Meat Pie

    Author: Mariam
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Prep: 40 minutes mins
    Cook: 35 minutes mins
    Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 10
    Lahm bi ajeen is a delicious oven-baked savory minced meat pie is known as sfiha in the Middle East. It's made with homemade dough and spiced meat. 

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    Dough

    • 1 cup warm water
    • 3 cups flour you can use wholewheat, all-purpose or baking flour
    • 2 tablespoons dry powdered milk
    • 2 teaspoons active yeast dry granules
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup olive oil

    Meat Topping

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 2 medium-sized tomatoes diced
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses debes remman
    • 1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 spices
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Optional

    • ¼ cup of pine nuts

    Instructions

    To make the dough: 

    • In a large bowl (or bowl of a dough mixer if using) combine half a cup of the warm water (save the remainder) yeast and sugar. Stir the mixture and let it sit out while you prep the other ingredients. 
    • In a separate bowl, mix the flour, dry milk, and salt. Form a well in the mixture. 
    • Pour in the yeast, water and sugar combination and start kneading with your hands (you can also use a dough kneader for this step). 
    • As you knead, slowly add the remaining cup of water, kneading in between each addition. 
    • Keep kneading until you are able to form the dough into a ball.
    • Pat the dough ball with a little bit of olive oil. Cover it with a kitchen cloth and let it rest for a minimum of an hour (the more it rests the better).

    To make the meat topping:

    • Put the onion and salt in a food processor and pulse for a minute or two. 
    • Add in the tomatoes, spices, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, and meat. 
    • Pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. 

    To make the pies: 

    • Heat your oven to 350 ℉ or 180 ℃.
    • Form the rested dough into small round balls (around 10). 
    • Flour a surface in your kitchen and use a rolling pin to shape a thin round circle out of each piece. 
    • Transfer the pie dough pieces to a greased oven baking dish or baking dish with a parchment paper.
    • Top each with a spoon of the meat mixture. 
    • Place the tray in the oven for around 35 minutes or until both the dough and meat topping are cooked through.

    Notes

    1. Serve hot.
    2. Drizzle with lemon juice or more pomegranate molasses for added flavor.
    3. The meat pies keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container.
    4. The total time is reflecting the minimum set time for the dough.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 pie | Calories: 387 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 17 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 5 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 5 g

    More Ultimate Main Dishes For Lunch and Dinner

    • cast iron skillet pepperoni pizza.
      Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
    • blackened cajun shrimp fettucine alfredo.
      Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
    • a close up view of sautéed lemon garlic butter shrimp
      Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • okra and oxtail stew.
      Bamya Middle Eastern Okra Stew

    About Mariam

    I am Mariam Nabbout, a writer and content creator. I’ve spent years dedicating research, digital, and filmmaking skills to come up with content that's just as meaningful as it is inspiring. A few of my obsessions include good branding, films, photography, design, art, and of course, food.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

      Leave A Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. S. Andrew

      August 03, 2020 at 3:03 am

      5 stars
      It looks delicious I loved it Thanks for sharing

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    lily at the matbakh

    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

    ABOUT ME

    Mediterranean Desserts

    • basbousa semolina cake with honey and yogurt
      Basbousa Semolina Cake
    • baklava rolls
      Walnut Baklava Rolls
    • mafroukeh close up
      Mafroukeh Pistachio Dessert With Cream
    • pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing.
      Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • X

    ↑ back to top

    Legal

    Privacy

    Terms

    Accessibility

    About

    The Matbakh

    About Me

    Med Diet

    Resources

    Shop

    Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 - 2025 Amooni Media LLC

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.