Manti at home: coordinating dumplings, yogurt and warm sauce

COOK IT AT HOME

Handmade Beef Manti with Garlic Yogurt

Making manti from scratch turns a small amount of seasoned beef into a generous bowl of tender dumplings. The dough needs time to rest before rolling, and the filling should be divided into tiny portions so the parcels cook evenly. A garlic-yogurt sauce and warm paprika butter finish the dish. These are home-style dumplings; allow time for folding, and invite another pair of hands if you want to make the shaping part of the meal.

Makes

4 servings; about 80 small dumplings

Prep

60 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Additional time

Rest dough for 30 minutes

A home-kitchen recipe to accompany this guide. Ingredient brands and equipment can change cooking times; use the texture and doneness cues below.

Ingredients

• 2 cups/250 g all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup/80 ml water, plus up to 1 tablespoon if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt for dough
• 8 ounces/225 g ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely grated and squeezed dry
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt for filling
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons water for yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt for yogurt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• 3 quarts water and 1 teaspoon salt for boiling

Step-by-step method

1. Mix 2 cups flour and the dough salt in a bowl. Add the egg and 1/3 cup water and stir into a firm shaggy dough. If dry flour will not incorporate, add the optional water 1 teaspoon at a time. Knead on the counter for 8–10 minutes until smooth, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
2. While the dough rests, combine beef, squeezed onion, filling salt, black pepper, and cumin. Mix just until evenly combined and refrigerate while preparing the dough. In a separate bowl mix yogurt, garlic, its 2 tablespoons water, and yogurt salt; keep refrigerated.
3. Divide the dough into four pieces, keeping unused portions covered. Using the additional flour sparingly, roll one piece about 1/16 inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares. Re-roll scraps once after letting them rest briefly; aim for roughly 80 squares overall.
4. Place a scant 1/4 teaspoon beef filling in each square. Bring opposite corners together over the filling, then pinch the remaining corners and all seams closed to form a small parcel. If the edges have dried, touch with a damp fingertip before sealing. Keep filling small and seams flour-free. Arrange shaped dumplings on a lightly floured tray and cover loosely; refrigerate completed trays while finishing.
5. Bring 3 quarts water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a wide pot. Add dumplings in two batches, stir gently, and maintain a gentle boil for about 7–10 minutes per batch. Check that the dough is tender and a sample beef center reaches 160°F; floating alone does not establish doneness. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain.
6. Melt butter in a small skillet over low heat. Stir in paprika, dried mint, and Aleppo pepper for 20–30 seconds, then remove from heat before the spices scorch. Divide hot dumplings among bowls, spoon over garlic yogurt, and drizzle with spiced butter. Serve immediately.

Helpful tips & substitutions

• For a quicker version, use 1 pound commercially prepared frozen manti and follow its cooking instructions. The same yogurt and butter quantities work; verify that raw beef filling reaches 160°F or poultry filling 165°F.
• Do not overfill the dough squares. Small parcels seal more securely and cook more consistently than large tightly packed ones. If dough springs back while rolling, cover and rest it for 5 minutes before continuing.

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate cooked dumplings and yogurt separately at 40°F or below within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat dumplings to 165°F before adding sauce. Freeze uncooked dumplings on a tray, then bag for up to 2 months; boil from frozen, allowing extra time and checking the filling temperature.

How to serve it

Serve with a lemony cucumber salad or lightly dressed greens. A fresh side balances the rich butter and tangy yogurt without competing with the dumpling filling.