KitchenWeekend project
Manti
Tiny open dumplings of spiced meat, baked until crisp, finished in broth and buried under garlic yogurt.
Armenian manti are small and open at the top, like little boats, and they're baked rather than boiled, so the edges go crunchy before the broth goes in. Making them is slow, which is why it's usually a job for several people around one table.
The smaller they are, the prouder the cook. Nobody will hold it against you if your first batch is bigger.
Ingredients
Amounts in the steps are for 6 servings.
Tools
- Rolling pin
- Knife or pastry wheel
- Large baking dish
- Pastry brush
Steps
Mix the flour, egg, water and dough salt into a firm dough, adding water a spoonful at a time if it's dry. Knead until smooth.
Cover and let the dough rest.
Mix the meat, onion, parsley, filling salt, Aleppo pepper and black pepper. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a large baking dish.
Roll the dough very thin, about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm). Cut it into squares about 1½ inches (4 cm) across.
Put a chickpea-sized piece of filling in the middle of each square. Pinch two opposite corners together, then pinch the other two sides up so you get a little boat, open at the top.
Pack the manti side by side in the dish, brush with the melted butter and bake until golden and crisp at the edges.
Whisk the tomato paste into the hot broth and pour it over the manti. Bake until most of the broth is absorbed.
While they bake, stir the garlic into the yogurt with a pinch of salt.
Serve the manti in bowls with some of their broth, a big spoonful of garlic yogurt, and a sprinkle of dried mint and sumac.
Good to know
- Making ahead
- Shape and bake them through step 6, cool, and freeze on a tray. Add the broth and finish from frozen.
- Shortcut
- Wonton wrappers, cut into quarters, work for a weeknight version.
- Toppings
- Some families add browned butter with red pepper on top of the yogurt.
Ask your grandparents
- How small did your family make them?
- Who folded and who rolled?
- Broth or no broth?