Tiny hand-folded Turkish dumplings filled with spiced ground beef, boiled and served under a blanket of garlicky yogurt and paprika butter.
Manti are famously tiny in the Turkish tradition, especially in the Kayseri region where cooks pride themselves on folding dumplings so small that forty can supposedly fit on a single spoon. Thin dough squares are filled with just a pinch of seasoned ground beef and onion, then pinched into small bundles and boiled until the dough turns tender and slightly chewy. The defining move comes at the table: a generous ladle of garlic yogurt is poured over the hot dumplings, followed by a sizzling drizzle of butter infused with paprika and dried mint, the hot fat crackling audibly as it hits the yogurt.
Serves 4
Combine flour, egg, water and salt into a firm dough; knead 10 minutes until smooth, then rest covered for 30 minutes.
Mix ground beef with grated onion, salt and pepper.
Roll the dough out very thin on a floured surface and cut into small squares, about 1.5 inches per side.
Roll the dough as thin as possible — this is what makes authentic Kayseri-style manti so delicate.
Place a tiny amount of filling in the center of each square, then pinch all four corners up and together to seal into a small bundle.
Boil the dumplings in salted water for 10-12 minutes until the dough is tender and the filling is cooked through.
Stir garlic into the yogurt with a pinch of salt while the manti cook.
Melt butter in a small pan with paprika and dried mint until fragrant and just beginning to foam.
Drain the manti, top generously with garlic yogurt, then drizzle with the hot paprika butter just before serving.
Roll the dough as thin as you can manage — thick dough makes manti gummy and heavy rather than delicate.
Squeeze the grated onion completely dry before mixing with the beef, or the filling will make the dough soggy while boiling.
Pour the hot butter over the yogurt at the very last moment, right at the table if possible — the sizzle and aroma are part of the dish's appeal.
Some regions boil the manti directly in broth instead of water, serving it soup-style.
A baked version (firin mantisi) from eastern Turkey is baked before being simmered in broth, giving a different texture.
Vegetarian manti with a lentil or mushroom filling are made for meatless days.
Uncooked manti freeze exceptionally well on a floured tray before bagging; boil straight from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes. Cooked manti with sauce should be eaten fresh, as the dough softens further if stored.
Manti are believed to have arrived in Anatolia via Central Asian Turkic and Mongol influences along the Silk Road, and the tiny Kayseri style in particular has become a point of regional culinary pride, historically demonstrating a bride's cooking skill.
Yes, freeze uncooked manti on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag; boil directly from frozen without thawing.
Use a pasta machine to roll the dough to its thinnest setting if you have one — it makes achieving the traditional thinness much easier.
The corners likely weren't pinched tightly enough — pinch firmly until the dough sticks to itself, using a dab of water if needed to help it seal.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
