Spiced Beef and Cheese Flatbread Pies: a complete home recipe

COOK IT AT HOME

Spiced Beef and Cheese Flatbread Pies

Precooking the beef makes these open pies easy to assemble and lets you remove excess cooking liquid before it reaches the dough. The meat is seasoned with allspice, cumin and a little tomato paste, then covered lightly with mozzarella and feta. The goal is a thin, savory layer on a fully baked bread base, not a deep meat casserole sitting on dough.

Makes

4 flatbread pies

Prep

35 minutes

Cook

25 minutes

Additional time

60–90 minutes rising; 15 minutes filling cooling; 10 minutes dough resting

A home-kitchen recipe to accompany this guide. Ingredient brands and equipment can change cooking times; use the texture and doneness cues below.

Ingredients

• 300 g all-purpose flour, plus 20 g for rolling
• 180 ml lukewarm water, about 100°F/38°C
• 3 g instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for dough
• 300 g lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, about 80 g, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for filling
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, for filling
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 120 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• 60 g feta, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Step-by-step method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the lukewarm water and the 2 tablespoons dough oil. Stir into a shaggy dough, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and supple, using the rolling flour only as needed. Cover in the bowl and let rise for 60–90 minutes, until nearly doubled.
2. Heat the filling oil in a skillet over medium heat. Soften the onion for 5 minutes. Add the beef and break into small crumbles. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until it reaches 160°F/71°C. Add tomato paste, allspice, cumin, filling salt and pepper; stir for another minute.
3. Cook off any watery liquid, then spread the filling in a shallow bowl and cool for about 15 minutes. Fold in the parsley. Do not put steaming meat directly onto the dough, because it makes the center difficult to handle.
4. Heat the oven to 450°F/230°C and line two baking trays. Divide the risen dough into four balls and rest for 10 minutes. Roll each into a 20 cm/8 inch round about 4–5 mm thick and transfer to the trays.
5. Divide the beef mixture over the rounds in an even layer, leaving a 1 cm rim. Mix the mozzarella and feta and sprinkle over the meat. Bake for 12–15 minutes, rotating trays, until the bases are golden and the cheese bubbles. The reheated meat topping should reach 165°F/74°C.
6. Rest on a rack for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Check a center slice from the first batch: the dough beneath the filling should look baked and airy, not glossy or raw.

Helpful tips & substitutions

• Choose lean beef and drain excess fat if it collects in the skillet. A greasy topping can prevent the bread center from setting cleanly.
• Ground lamb may replace beef in the same quantity and also needs to reach 160°F/71°C. Keep the layer thin even if the filling seems especially fragrant.

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below. Use within 3 days. Reheat topped breads to 165°F/74°C; a covered first few minutes prevents the topping from drying before the center is hot. Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months.

How to serve it

Serve with lemon wedges and a chopped cucumber salad. A little plain yogurt makes a cool contrast to the spiced beef and melted cheese.