Manti (Turkish Dumpling Soup)

About This Recipe

Manti are Turkey's beloved miniature dumplings, pinched by hand into tiny purse or boat shapes filled with a small amount of seasoned ground meat, then boiled and served not in a broth but ladled with garlicky yogurt and topped with a drizzle of butter infused with red pepper and dried mint. Making manti is a labor of love and often a communal activity in Turkish households, with the dumplings pinched so small that a good manti maker is judged by how many fit on a single spoon. The technique that defines manti is the size and the pinching: the dough is rolled paper-thin and cut into small squares, each filled with a tiny amount of spiced meat and pinched into a tight, sealed shape that holds together through boiling. The yogurt sauce -- yogurt whisked with garlic and a little salt -- is spooned generously over the boiled dumplings, and the final flourish is a hot, sizzling butter infused with Aleppo pepper and sometimes dried mint, poured over everything right before serving. Served as a full meal rather than a side dish, manti is considered one of Turkey's great culinary achievements, closely associated with Central Anatolian and Kayseri regional cuisine, where the smallest, most intricately pinched manti are a point of local pride.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsall-purpose flour(plus extra for dusting)
• 1egg
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 0.5 cupwater(as needed)
• 200 gground beef or lamb
• 1onion(grated and squeezed dry)
• 0.5 tspsalt(for filling)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2 cupsplain yogurt
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced or grated)
• 4 tbspbutter
• 1 tbspAleppo pepper or paprika
• 1 tspdried mint

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, egg, and salt with enough water to form a firm, smooth dough. Knead 8-10 minutes, then rest covered 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Combine ground meat, grated onion, salt, and pepper, mixing well.

3. 3

   Roll and cut

   Roll dough very thin (about 1-2mm) on a floured surface. Cut into small squares, about 2.5cm each.

4. 4

   Fill and pinch

   Place a tiny amount of filling in the center of each square. Pinch all four corners up and together to seal into a small purse shape.

5. 5

   Boil

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil manti in batches for 8-10 minutes until they float and the dough is cooked through.

6. 6

   Make the yogurt sauce

   Whisk yogurt with garlic and a pinch of salt until smooth.

7. 7

   Assemble

   Drain manti and spoon into bowls. Top generously with garlic yogurt.

8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Melt butter in a small pan with Aleppo pepper and dried mint until sizzling and red. Drizzle over the yogurt-topped manti and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Bake manti in the oven at 200C/400F for 15-20 minutes before boiling in broth for the firmer, oven-baked Kayseri style.

• •

  Use a mix of ground lamb and beef for a richer, more traditional filling flavor.

• •

  Skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version filled with mashed potato and herbs.

Storage

Uncooked manti freeze exceptionally well -- freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag, and boil directly from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes. Cooked manti with sauce is best eaten fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions