In Kayseri the measure is well known: forty mantı should fit on a spoon. To get them that small the dough has to be rolled to the thickness of paper, and that is the hard part. Mantı made with thick dough is perfectly edible, but it is a different dish.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For the sauce
Method
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Knead the dough
Knead the flour, egg, water and salt for 12 minutes into a firm dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
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Mix the filling
Mix the mince, onion, salt, pepper and parsley.
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Roll the dough
Divide the dough into four and roll each piece out to the thickness of paper.
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Cut
Cut the rolled dough into 2 centimetre squares.
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Fill
Put a lentil-sized piece of filling in the centre of each square, bring the four corners together and seal firmly.
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Boil
Drop the mantı into boiling salted water and cook for 8 minutes after they float, then drain.
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Make the sauce
Whisk the yoghurt with the garlic. Melt the butter and stir in the tomato paste, pepper flakes and mint.
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Serve
Put the mantı on the plate, pour over the garlic yoghurt and drizzle with the butter.
Tips
- Keep the uncut dough under a damp cloth while you work; dough that dries out will not seal.
- Do not overfill; a lentil is enough, and more makes sealing difficult.
- Freeze any extra on a floured tray and bag them. Frozen mantı goes straight into boiling water.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.