Turkish Manti

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 whole large eggs
• ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ pound ground beef
• ½ whole medium yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mound 2 cups of all-purpose flour on a clean work surface and create a well in the center. Crack 1 large egg into the well and add 0.25 cup of water and 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Using a fork, gently beat the egg, then begin pulling flour from the sides into the center, mixing as you go.

2. 2

   Once the mixture becomes shaggy, use your hands to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it's smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky — it should come together into a cohesive ball. If it's too dry, wet your fingers and continue kneading; if too wet, dust lightly with flour.

3. 3

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes — this relaxes the gluten so it won't spring back as you roll it.

4. 4

   While the dough rests, finely dice 0.5 medium yellow onion into pieces about 1/8-inch — you want them small enough to distribute evenly through the beef. Chop 2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves into thin ribbons.

5. 5

   In a medium bowl, combine 0.5 pound of ground beef with the diced onion, mint, 0.25 teaspoon of salt, and 0.125 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don't overwork it, as that makes the filling tough.

6. 6

   After the dough has rested, remove it from the plastic wrap and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough as thin as possible — it should be nearly transparent, about 1/16-inch thick. This takes patience; work from the center outward and rotate the dough frequently to keep it even.

7. 7

   Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. You should have roughly 40-50 squares. Place about 0.5 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square — use less rather than more, so the pasta seals properly.

8. 8

   Working one square at a time, fold two opposite corners together and pinch firmly at the point where they meet. Then bring the other two corners up and pinch them together over the top to form a small pouch that looks like a tiny sleeping bag. Press the seams gently to seal. Place each finished manti on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

9. 9

   Fill a large pot with about 4 quarts of water and set it over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, salt it generously — it should taste like the sea. Working in batches so they don't crowd, carefully add the manti to the boiling water.

10. 10

    Stir gently with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. The manti will first sink to the bottom, then rise to the surface — cook for 2-3 minutes after they float, until they're tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a colander and let them drain.

11. 11

    While the manti cooks, prepare the yogurt sauce. Stir 1.5 cups of full-fat Greek yogurt in a large serving bowl with 0.25 teaspoon of salt until smooth — the yogurt should have a pourable consistency. If it's very thick, thin it with 1-2 tablespoons of water.

12. 12

    Make the spiced butter topping: Peel and finely mince 3 garlic cloves. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add the minced garlic. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the butter takes on a light golden color, about 2 minutes — watch carefully so it doesn't brown or burn.

13. 13

    Remove the butter from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper or paprika. Pour the cooked, drained manti into the yogurt sauce and gently fold to coat all the pieces evenly.

14. 14

    Transfer the manti to a serving platter. Pour the warm spiced butter over the top in a drizzle, allowing some to pool in the center. Serve immediately while the butter is still warm — it will create a beautiful contrast against the cool yogurt.

Tools you’ll need

• work surface
• fork
• hands for kneading
• plastic wrap
• rolling pin
• sharp knife
• parchment paper
• baking sheet
• large pot
• wooden spoon
• slotted spoon
• colander
• large serving bowl
• small saucepan
• spoon for stirring

More recipes like this

• 

  Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà)

  28 min

• 

  Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant

  25 min

• 

  Patatas Bravas

  25 min

• 

  Quick Chicken and Leek Pie

  28 min