Lahm Bi Ajin (Sfiha) (2024)

Lahm bi ajin, also called sfiha or sfeeha, is a very popular dish in the Levant region composed of flatbread (similar to pita bread) cooked with a layer of ground meat on top, usually lamb, with tomato, onion, pine nuts, and a significant mixture of spices. It is a dish similar to manakish and lahmacun.

What is lahm bi ajin?

Lahm bi ajin does not have a 100% traditional method or recipe, but it varies according to the traditions of the family that prepares it.

In Lebanon, for example, these are traditionally prepared with meat, onion, pine nuts, tomato, sumac, and pomegranate molasses.

In Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian territories, on the other hand, it is traditionally made with lamb, tomato, herbs, and some spices.

Lahm bi ajin is a very popular dish throughout the Middle East region, but it is not only limited to the Middle East. Thanks to Syrian-Lebanese immigration, it is a dish that became very popular also in Brazil and Argentina. While in Brazil it is called esfirra or esfiha, in Argentina it is called sfija.

Brazilian esfirras are usually small, about 4 inches (10 cm), and are not only made of lamb. There are cheese, vegetable, and beef variants.

What is the origin of lahm bi ajin?

Flatbread has been present in the Middle East and Fertile Crescent area since ancient times. Baking techniques have been updated over the years, but throughout history, metal sajj, tandoor-type ovens, or even hot stones have been used.

In Medieval times, when the brick oven was developed, a large number of flatbreads were filled with different ingredients – among them, lahm bi ajin.

Other flatbread dishes

Flatbread is a tradition in the Middle East, and as with lahm bi ajin, several recipes have it as their main component in the rest of the world.

Gözleme, traditional in Turkey, is a type of stuffed bread in the shape of an envelope whose interior varies according to the region in which it is prepared. Among the most popular are lamb, spinach, feta cheese, and egg.

In the Alsace region, flammkuchen, a dish in which a very thin layer of dough is covered with onions and pieces of bacon (lardons) and baked in the oven, is very popular.

Italian focaccia is a kind of bread, although not as thin. The key to it is olive oil; however, on many occasions – and depending on the region – various ingredients are placed on top to add more flavor (fish, vegetables, meat, etc).

Hungarian langos is a type of fried bread dish, traditional in street food, which is served covered with a kind of sour cream and some kind of grated cheese.

Hoggan, also called hogen, is a flatbread typical of the Cornwall region of England. It was considered a typical miners’ dish and was generally prepared with potatoes and small pieces of pork.

In China, the cong you bing is a highly consumed preparation. This simple flatbread is prepared with a simple dough and chopped green onions and then fried on both sides in a frying pan. It is so thin it might even look like a pancake.

A version of roti called pol roti is very famous in Sri Lanka. The main difference is that it is prepared with coconut flour, and is often used as an accompaniment to curries and other hearty dishes with sauce.

Finally, Venezuelan and Colombian arepas are a preparation based on white corn flour that are often served stuffed, either with cheese or with more complete mixtures such as meat, chicken, or avocado. Some examples of this are arepa reina pepiada (chicken, mayonnaise, and avocado), arepa pelúa (meat and llanero cheese), and arepa perico (egg, onion, and tomato).

Sources

Wikipedia (EN) – Flatbread
Wikipedia (EN) – Sfiha
The Armenian Kitchen