About this Dish
Tiny Turkish dumplings — smaller than a thumbnail — filled with spiced minced lamb, boiled and served with a garlicky yoghurt sauce and a drizzle of red pepper butter. The smaller the manti the more skilled the cook — a traditional benchmark of Turkish culinary ability.
IngredientsServes 4
🌾Plain flour, 300g plus extra for dusting
🥚Eggs, 2 large
🐑Minced lamb, 250g
🧅White onion, 1 small, very finely grated
🌶️Sweet red pepper flakes (pul biber), 1 tsp plus extra to finish
🧄Garlic, 4 cloves, crushed
🥛Full-fat plain yoghurt, 400g, at room temperature
🧈Unsalted butter, 60g
🌿Dried mint, 1 tsp
🌿Dried mint, 1 tsp
Method
1
Mix the flour with a good pinch of salt, the eggs, and 4–5 tablespoons of cold water to form a stiff, smooth dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until elastic, then wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.2
Combine the minced lamb with the grated onion, a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and a little cumin if you like. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the onion before mixing — this keeps the filling from making the dough soggy.3
Roll the dough out as thinly as you possibly can on a floured surface, aiming for almost translucent sheets. Cut into 2cm squares — the smaller the better — and place a tiny pea-sized amount of lamb filling in the centre of each square.4
Pinch the four corners of each square up and press firmly together to seal into a little parcel, making sure there are no gaps. Work in batches, keeping finished manti under a damp cloth so they don't dry out.5
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the manti in batches for 10–12 minutes until the dough is tender and the filling is cooked through, then drain and divide between warm bowls.6
While the manti cook, stir the crushed garlic into the yoghurt with a pinch of salt and let it mellow. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the pul biber and dried mint, cooking for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and deep red.7
Spoon the garlicky yoghurt generously over the manti, then drizzle the red pepper butter on top. Serve immediately — the contrast of warm dumplings, cool yoghurt, and sizzling spiced butter is the whole point.User Reviews
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