Destination
Antalya
The story
Mantı is Turkey's most-labour-intensive home dish and one of the classical preparations of central Anatolia (especially the Kayseri region, where the smallest and most-prized version is made). Tiny squares of thinly-rolled wheat dough are filled with a spoonful of raw minced lamb and pinched into small four-cornered parcels the size of a fingernail. Boiled briefly in salted water, drained, and served in wide bowls under a heavy blanket of thick garlic yogurt, then finished with a hot drizzle of butter infused with dried mint and Aleppo pepper. Traditionally, a serving of Kayseri mantı has forty pieces per plate; the smallest artisanal versions have a hundred.
Method
In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Add eggs and warm water. Mix with a wooden spoon then knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly firm. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine minced lamb, grated onion, parsley, salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper and cumin. Mix thoroughly by hand for 2 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 3 balls. Working with one ball at a time, roll on a floured surface as thin as you can, aiming for 1mm thick and a 30cm circle. Cut into 3cm squares with a knife.
Place a scant half-teaspoon of filling in the middle of each square. Bring the four corners up to meet at the top and pinch them together, sealing all four seams. The finished mantı should look like a small four-cornered pouch with the filling visible at the top opening. Aim for 40 to 60 per person.
In a bowl, whisk yogurt, minced garlic paste and salt until smooth. Leave at room temperature.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the mantı in batches of about 60 pieces. Boil 8 to 10 minutes until the dumplings float and the meat is cooked through.
In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add red pepper paste, Aleppo pepper, dried mint and salt. Cook 60 seconds until the butter is deep red and fragrant. Do not burn.
Spoon a generous layer of yogurt sauce at the base of each wide shallow bowl. Pile the drained hot mantı on top. Drizzle each bowl with the hot paprika butter. Scatter with chopped parsley and extra Aleppo pepper. Serve immediately with warm bread.
Tips
- Small is the point. Traditional Kayseri mantı has 40 pieces per portion. Larger mantı are a different dish (some Turkish regions do have larger versions, but the classical version is small).
- Roll paper thin. The dough should be almost translucent. Thick dough gives you gluey mantı; thin dough gives you the delicate skin the dish is famous for.
- Room-temperature yogurt. Cold yogurt cools the whole dish. The Turkish yogurt sauce is served at room temperature, and the hot paprika butter is drizzled over it just before serving.
- Freeze extras. Uncooked mantı freeze beautifully on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Boil directly from frozen, adding 3 minutes to the cook time. Every Turkish grandmother has a freezer stash.
- Dried mint is essential. This is the specifically Turkish herb that scents the paprika butter. Fresh mint is not a substitute.
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