Crunchy Flavorful Manti

Manti is a traditional Turkish dish featuring delicate handmade dumplings filled with seasoned ground beef, topped with creamy garlic yogurt and a fragrant spiced oil. Each bite combines tender dough, savoury meat filling, and bold flavours from Turkish spices like pul biber, dried mint, and sumac. While making manti takes patience, the process of folding each tiny dumpling makes this dish a meaningful recipe often shared with family and loved ones. This comforting classic brings together the perfect balance of richness, tanginess, and spice.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 2 cups of flour

• pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1 beaten egg

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Filling:

• 0.5 lbs of ground beef

• 1 tsp crushed garlic

• 1 onion grated

• 1/4 tsp of salt

• 1/4 tsp of pepper

• 1/4 tsp of dried basil, 1/4 tsp of rosemary, 1/4 tsp of thyme (optional)

Yogurt Topping (optional, but traditionally it contains this):

• 3/4 cup of yogurt

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 tsp of salt

Spiced Oil:

• 1 tbsp pull biber (Spicy Turkish Pepper)

• 1/4 cup of olive oil

• 1 tbsp red pepper paste

• 2 tsp dried mint

• 1 tsp sumac

Instructions:

For the dough

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.

2. Add the beaten egg, olive oil, and water. Mix until a dough forms.

3. Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax and makes it easier to roll.

For the filling

1. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and optional herbs.

2. Mix until everything is evenly combined.

3. Divide the dough into smaller portions and roll each piece very thin on a lightly floured surface.

4. Cut the dough into small squares (about 2–3 cm wide).

5. Place a small amount of filling in the centre of each square.

6. Fold the dough by pinching the corners together to create the classic manti shape.

7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

8. Add the manti and cook for about 8–10 minutes, or until the dumplings float and the dough is tender.

9. Drain and set aside.

10. Mix yogurt, crushed garlic, and salt together until smooth.

11. Adjust the garlic and salt to taste.

12. Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.

13. Add the red pepper paste and pul biber, stirring for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

14. Remove from heat and mix in the dried mint and sumac.

15. Place cooked manti onto a serving plate.

16. Top generously with garlic yogurt.

17. Drizzle over the spiced oil.

18. Finish with extra dried mint or sumac if desired.

Nutrition Facts: 1 bowl (based on 4 servings)

• Calories: ~520 kcal

• Protein: ~25 g

• Carbohydrates: ~55 g

• Fat: ~23 g

• Fiber: ~3 g

How to Store:

Refrigerator: Store cooked manti in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the yogurt sauce and spiced oil separate for the best texture.

Freezer: Uncooked manti can be frozen on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag. They can be stored for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Boil frozen manti directly from frozen until cooked through, or gently reheat cooked manti on the stove or microwave.

Alternatives:

Meat alternatives: Replace ground beef with ground lamb for a more traditional Turkish flavour, or use ground chicken/turkey for a lighter option.

Vegetarian version: Fill the manti with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, spinach, or a lentil mixture.

Dough shortcut: Use store-bought wonton wrappers for a quicker version, although the texture will differ from traditional manti dough.

Spice level: Adjust the amount of pul biber and red pepper paste depending on your preferred heat level.

Yogurt topping: For extra creaminess, mix Greek yogurt with regular yogurt or add a drizzle of olive oil before serving.