Lahma B'ajeen

Make the dough with the flour, yeast, salt & water (Catherine says, don't try using pizza dough as a shortcut, it doesn't work!), mix in large bowl and knead for about 10 minutes. It should feel very soft and pliable, very slightly sticky. If it is dry and crumbly add more water, and if too sticky add more flour. Put it in a clean bowl, pat a little olive oil round it and cover the bowl with a damp cloth or clingfilm. Leave in a warmish place - at least make sure the dough is not cold or in a draught - for at least 90 minutes, but can be up to 3-4 hours. About 45 minutes before you want to eat turn oven to 200c, gas mark 6. Grease 3 baking sheets with rapeseed or corn oil. Take the dough and break off a walnut sized lump. Put it on the baking sheet and press it out with your fingers into a small circle. Repeat with all the dough till the baking sheets are covered Mix the meat mixture in a bowl. By now the dough will have started to rise a bit so flatten out each circle again with your fingers and palm. Put about a teaspoonful of mixture on each circle, using your fingers to pat it on and stop the meat falling off. Try to make sure that each circle has at least two pine nuts on, like Grandma. Put the trays in the oven: an electric oven with even heat is great, if not you need to treat each sheet separately. After they have been in for about 4 minutes the circles will start to puff up, so you need to take each tray out and flatten each circle down with the tines of a fork. Replace to cook further, probably another 4-5 minutes. In a gas oven wait a little before the trays lower down need flattening, and swap the trays round so they get even cooking. Eventually all the trays will have cooked properly and you can check to see if they are getting too brown – the dough should still be paleish, only the topping should get darker and more exciting. I keep the tray warm covered with foil until they are all done. They can hang around for as long as you like.