Prep Time: 40 min
Total Time: 80 min
Yield: 2
Dumplings called Manti are popular not only in Turkish cuisine but also across the Middle East, the Balkans, and Central Asia.
Turkish Manti are small pasta-like dough pockets filled with ground beef or lamb, served with garlicky yogurt and a spicy butter sauce. Recipes vary by region, reflecting diverse local flavors.
In this recipe, I use Aleppo pepper in the butter sauce—a flavorful, mildly spicy spice common in Turkish and Mediterranean cooking. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, a mix of paprika and chili flakes works well as a substitute.
The Dough
1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 Egg
1 tsp salt
¼ cup lukewarm water
Filling
160 grams Ground Beef
1 small Onion (diced)
4 tablespoons Parsley (chopped)
½ tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup Yogurt (room temperature)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
Pinch of Salt
Butter Sauce
2 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 tablespoon Aleppo Pepper
1 tsp Sumac
1 tablespoon fresh Meant Leaves (for garnish)
In a bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, eggs, salt and water. Knead the dough with hook attachment until everything holds together. Knead it for 6-8 minutes.
Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
Cut the dough into 2 or 4 pieces. Roll out each piece and lightly flour the surface if necessarily.
Use a pizza cutter and cut the dough into small squares.
Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in middle of each square.
To make the dumplings, first fold the tiny square into two and seal all the opposite corners of the dough in the center. Repeat this process for all of the dumplings (you might end up with some extra fillings).
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil then turn the heat down to medium.
Add the dumplings to the water and let boil for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Drain the dumplings.
For the yogurt sauce, mix all the ingredients into a small bowl. Set aside.
For the butter sauce, add the butter and olive oil into a sauce pan. Bring to simmer until butter has melted. Add Aleppo pepper and sumac and turn off the heat.
To serve, spread the yogurt over your serving plate. Top with the dumplings. Drizzle the butter sauce on top and garnish with mint. Enjoy!
