Ajeen Beckford Lahma Bi Ajeen

• flour↗5 cups
• vegetable shortening↗1⁄2 cup
• yeast3 teaspoons
• salt↗3⁄4 teaspoon
• oil1 1⁄2 tablespoons
• warm water (about 100 F.)1 1⁄2 cups
• jerk seasoning1 tablespoon
• lean ground beef↗1 lb
• catsup↗1 cup
• tomato paste↗3 ounces
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• large white onion, finely chopped↗1
• ground allspice1 teaspoon
• ground cinnamon↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• ground nutmeg↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• teaspoon ground black pepper↗1⁄2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Mix all dough ingredients well. Knead for a few moments. Set aside to rest while preparing filling. Mix all the filling ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F

2. 2

   Since you will be preparing a large number of these, it makes sense to work on a large, clean surface. The kitchen table is perfect. Roll half the dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a clean table. Use a glass, 2-2.5 inches in diameter to cut circles of dough. Place these circles on a well oiled baking sheet. Work the remaining dough into a ball, and roll it out to cut more circles. Keep combining the circle cutouts until you have used all the dough. Place 1.5 teaspoons filling on each circle. With a fork, carefully smooth filling to the edge of the circle. It's fine for the lahma bi ajeen to touch each other in the pan, but they cannot overlap.

3. 3

   Bake for about 20 minutes, or until dough is just firm but not crisp.

4. 4

   Serve with tehina and soup or salad for a first course.