Turkish Cuisine: 5 Steps to Preparing Mantı
Learn more about Anatolia's delightful dumpling dish and how to prepare it.
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 4: Yoğurt and Butter sauces (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Mantı
Mantı is a traditional Turkish dumpling dish. Almost in every region, there are Mantı varieties offered. But the most famous of these is the one prepared in Kayseri, a city in Central Anatolia, which is much smaller in size than the Mantı varieties prepared in other regions of Turkey.
5 steps to prepare Manti
In 'Turkish Local Cuisines' class of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Yeditepe University, students learn about not only the dish itself but also its history, varieties and differences from region to region.
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 1: Preparation of the Dough (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 1: Preparation of the Dough
Flour, eggs, water, and salt are mixed and kneaded until the dough is smooth. Then the dough must be left to rest to roll out very thin. Then, the dough is cut into 4cm squares. In Kayseri Mantı, this size is smaller.
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 3: Folding (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 2: Filling
Minced meat, chopped onion, and spices are mixed to prepare the filling. The filling is distributed evenly to the dough. In some regions, even chicken and rice are used as a filling ingredient.
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 2: The Filling (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
The Filling
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 3: Folding
Each dough square is folded into two, and then the opposite corners are pinched to form a pouch and pressed to seal firmly.
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 3: Folding (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Folding
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Step 5: Baked or Boiled? (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 4: Baked or boiled
Two methods can be followed for cooking "Mantı." As for the first method, "Mantı" is dried in the oven, which helps seal the dough and give a little more crunchy texture. Then it is cooled on racks, and finally boiled in salted water. The second method is to boil "Mantı" directly in salted water. More experienced people and those who can roll the dough very thinly generally prefer the second method .
Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish Mantı: Anatolia's Delightful Dumpling Dish (2020) by Sibel OzilgenOriginal Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 5: Yoğurt and Butter sauces
Before cooking Mantı, yogurt and butter sauces are prepared. Yoğurt sauce consists of Turkish yogurt, crushed garlic, and salt. It should be whipped thoroughly. Butter sauce consists of butter and red flaked peppers. This sauce is prepared at the last second. The butter is heated, then the red flaked peppers are added to the hot butter and removed from the stove.
Enjoying Mantı
After boiling, Mantı is served with garlic flavored yogurt and melted butter on top. It takes about 10-15 minutes to cook Mantı. When the doughs are cooked, they are transferred to serving plates with a slotted spoon. Then yogurt sauce is poured, and immediately the butter is heated with red flaked pepper and poured over the Yoğurt sauce.
Preparing 'Mantı' is part of the course 'Turkish Local Cuisine' which is taught by Inst. Chef Fahri Demir at Yeditepe University.
Creator: Prof. Dr. Sibel Ozilgen
Editor: Ozan Aydın
