Mantı (Turkish Beef Dumplings)

Method

1. 1

   Knead the flour, eggs, water and a teaspoon of salt into a firm dough. Rest, covered, 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the beef with the grated onion, salt and a generous grind of pepper.

3. 3

   Roll the dough as thin as you can manage and cut into 3 cm squares.

   💡 Keep the dough you're not using under a towel — small squares dry out in minutes.

4. 4

   Dot each square with a chickpea-sized bit of filling, then pinch the four corners together into tiny parcels.

   💡 Small is the whole craft: the more dumplings per spoon, the prouder the cook.

5. 5

   Stir the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt into the yogurt and set aside to come fully to room temperature.

6. 6

   Boil the mantı in salted water until they float, then 4 more minutes; drain.

7. 7

   Melt the butter with the paprika and dried mint until it foams and smells toasty.

8. 8

   Plate the dumplings, blanket with garlic yogurt and stripe with the sizzling paprika butter.