Meat-filled pockets of dough are a common element of cuisines around the world. Italy has its Raviolis or Tortellinis, China its Baozi and Poland its Pierogis. And then there is Manti from Turkey! Manti is served with a cold, yogurt-based sauce with garlic and mint and topped with another sauce made from butter and spicy paprika powder or so-called Salça. Fried peppers are a common substitute for the red paprika sauce.

Manti is a traditional specialty from the Kayseri region but exists thoughout the country today. While it is still common to make the dough pockets at home, they are also available ready-made in the convenience food department of any larger supermarket in Turkey. If there is no Turkish supermarket near you, you can simply order the little dumplings online. As alternatives to meat are becoming more and more popular, Manti even exists as vegetarian versions with tofu or potato cubes.

Make Me Some Mantı And I Will Marry You!

The little dumplings supposedly have their origin in central Asia where they are also prevalent today in various forms. In Turkey, they have been around since the 16th century. Traditionally, making Manti was a task of housewives who would sit together with other women of the family or the neighborhood. This was a common habit for complicated dishes as the company and a bit of chit-chat and gossip would make the work more fun. At the same time, young girls would quickly learn from the other women and gain practice in cooking.

The dumplings prepared in Kayseri are especially tiny which makes their production very tricky and time-consuming. As a proof of being a worthy wife, women had to show off their Manti-making skills, back in the days. Men would propose to those women who could fit 40 tiny dumplings into a wooden cooking spoon.

More To Discover

You might not need Manti to proof your cooking skills but if you are looking for a great alternative to pasta or specifically Tortellini or Ravioli, you should definitely give it a go. Here is our authentic recipe: Not the easiest but with a little practice you will soon be a Manti-making pro – or you simply buy ready-made ones!

Here’s All You Need

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Also available in:
Germany

<br />

Also available in:
Germany

Recipe: Mantı - Turkish Tortellini

by SunnySideCircus

Category Food & Drinks // Turkey

Ingredients

For the dough:

500 g flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
180 ml water

For the filling:

200 g ground beef (and/or lamb)
2 onions
1 bunch parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/2 tsp dried mint

For the yogurt sauce:

700 g yoghurt
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt

For the spicy topping:

100 g butter
1 tsp paprika powder or
2 tsp salça (Turkish tomato and paprika paste)

Instructions

Put the flour in a bowl and blend in salt, eggs and water to create a firm dough
Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes
Put all ingredients for the filling in a bowl and mix everything well
Besprinkle your counter with a bit of flour and roll out the dough as thin as possible
Now, cut the dough into small squares of 2-3 centimeters and place 1/4 of a tablespoon of the meat filling on each square
Press the respective opposite corners together in order to form tiny pyramids
Blend all ingredients for the yoghurt sauce in a bowl until it is even and creamy
Now, melt the butter in a pan, add the paprika powder or salça and let it heat up for 2-3 minutes
Heat up a good amount of salted water in a large pot
Add the little dumplings and let them boil at medium heat for about 5 minutes
Drain the Mantı in a sieve
Serve immediately with the yoghurt sauce and some of the paprika butter