Stop asking 'what's for dinner.' 
Oven Baked Beef Stuffed Flatbread (From Scratch Dough)
Crispy and golden, this oven baked stuffed flatbread is perfect for lunch or to stock up your freezer. Soft, yeasted dough is stuffed with a seven spiced ground beef filling, then pressed thin with plenty of olive oil. The top is scored, brushed with egg wash, and sprinkled with seeds, then baked until golden and crispy. Don’t be intimidated by the from-scratch dough – it’s actually one of the easiest breads to shape. Inspired by my Iraqi heritage, let’s walk through how I make it in my kitchen.
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From Al Anbar in Iraq, to my Canadian Kitchen
This recipe is inspired by a traditional stuffed bread termed “farafeer” (which is such a fun name!) that comes from the Al Anbar region in Iraq. It’s usually baked in a large clay tanoor, but I managed to perfect the recipe for my home oven.
I was inspired to make it as a lunch box option and stash it in the freezer, because I was sure my kids would go crazy for it. Unfortunately for my freezer stash plans, I only ended up with a few breads after the family and I had our fill.
Here’s why it’s so irresistible: the dough gets crispy and golden both on top and on the bottom, because I generously use olive oil to spread it out. And then once you bite into it, you get the perfectly seasoned ground beef (using my base kofta recipe), and it’s incredible chased with a sip of hot tea. My kids said it reminds them of my classic lahm bi ajeen recipe, but the texture and flavour profile is different because the beef doesn’t have tomato paste.
And let me say this: it is not difficult. It’s one of the easiest breads to shape! Let’s get into it.
How To Make This Flatbread With From Scratch Dough
For the beef, I use lean ground beef. One important note is to squeeze out the water from the chopped onions, garlic and parsley before adding to the beef. This avoids the bottom of the flatbread getting soggy. Just a quick squeeze using your hands is enough.
The dough is a classic yeasted dough. I simply let the yeast bloom in the water, then add all the ingredients and get my stand mixer to do all the work. Signs to look for to know the dough is ready: it cleanly pulls away from the sides. It is soft but not sticky to the touch, and it gathers into a ball.
Let the dough rise for at least 1 hour. Then, make palm-sized dough balls (you should get 10-12) and place on an oiled tray. Let proof, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
In the photos, you’ll see my pan isn’t lined with parchment. Don’t make my mistake – line it with parchment to ensure a clean and easy release. The egg wash ended up leaking onto the edges and glueing the bread to the pan. Parchment avoids all this.
Scoring the top prevents the dough from puffing up in the oven and separating from the meat. Don’t go all the way, just score the top most dough layer.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400F on the bottom rack, for 20 to 25 minutes. Once you check the bottom and its cooked and crusted, move to the top rack for a 5 to 7 minute broil until the tops are golden and crackly.
Serve warm from the oven. If you’re freezing it, wait until its completely cool, then cut into halves or quarters. Place them in a freezer bag in two layers, with parchment in between. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.
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Oven Baked Beef Stuffed Flatbread (From Scratch Dough)
Ingredients
For The Dough:
- 2 cups warm water, divided
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 750 g all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
For The Beef Stuffing:
- 907 g lean ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup parsley, optional
- 2 teaspoons seven spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Topping:
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
Instructions
To Make The Dough:
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, bloom yeast in 1 cup warm water for ~10 minutes until bubbly.
- Add flour, second cup of water, olive oil, and salt. Knead by hand or stand mixer on low-medium for at least 10 minutes, until smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough isn't soft, add splashes of water and knead 4-5 minutes until incorporated. The dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky.
- Gather with oiled hands into a ball, slick the top with oil, cover, and let rise 1-2 hours.
- After rising, punch down the dough with oiled hands. Divided into into palm sized dough balls and place them on an oiled tray. You should be able to get 10 to 12 dough balls. Cover and allow them to proof for 15 to 20 minutes.
To Make The Beef Stuffing:
- Finely chop onion and garlic (and parsley if using – but my kids don't like it) together in a food processor. Squeeze the extra moisture from the vegetables using your hands, then mix with the rest of the ingredients by hand. Don’t over mix. Set aside.
Shaping:
- Preheat oven to 400°F on bake.
- Split the beef mixture into 10-12 balls, matching the dough balls, but slightly smaller so they fit right on top.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, then oil generously (about 1/4 cup olive oil) and oil your hands. Parchment prevents sticking. Without it, leaked egg wash can bake into a hard crust that glues the bread to the pan.
- Place a beef ball on top of each dough ball and stretch the dough around it until the beef is fully enclosed. Set aside on a tray.
- Each pan fits 4-5 breads — use two pans or work in batches. Press each stuffed ball out by hand as thin as possible into a 5-6 inch circle.
Baking:
- Score crisscross lines into the surface of each bread with a knife or bench scraper. This keeps the dough from puffing up and separating from the meat.
- Brush all breads with egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame and nigella seeds.
- Bake on the bottom rack at 400°F for 20 minutes. Check that the bottoms are set and slightly golden. if still wet, bake 5-10 minutes more.
- Once bottoms are crusted, broil for 5 to 7 minutes, rotating the pan halfway for even browning, until golden and crispy on top.
- Remove from oven and let cool, then transfer to a platter.
Notes
- I use olive oil to spread out the dough, not flour. This is important to help achieve a crisp crust on the bottom and the top. It also adds a ton of flavour!
- Make sure to cover the pan with parchment paper. I made the mistake of baking on the pan directly and some of mine stuck to the sheet pan.
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To freeze: Let cool slightly, cut into quarters, layer in freezer bags with parchment between pieces. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.