Manti à la Kadriye

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g flour
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 tbsp salt
• 500 ml yogurt, 3.5%
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp mint, finely chopped, or dried
• n. B. Salt
• n. B. Chili flakes (Pul-Biber)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp oil (sunflower)
• 1 onion(s), finely chopped
• 1 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp hot paprika paste or 3-4 tsp harissa
• 1 cup water (manti cooking water)
• e.g. salt and pepper
• n. B. Chili flakes (Pul-Biber)
• 500 g low-fat curd cheese
• e.g. parsley, finely chopped
• e.g. Dill, finely chopped
• n. B. Chives, finely chopped
• e.g. salt and pepper
• Chili flakes (Pul-Biber)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Turkish ravioli

For the manti dough, knead all the ingredients together thoroughly. The dough should no longer be sticky; if not, add more flour to taste. Let the dough rest for about 1/2 hour. In the meantime, prepare the filling: Mix the quark with the herbs and spices and season to taste. You can, of course, use other herbs, depending on what your garden has to offer or what you prefer. Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, mint, wild garlic, or spices like cumin taste very good; everyone has to try it for themselves. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 2-3 mm. This works best with a Turkish rolling pin. Cut the rolled out dough into squares about 4 x 4 cm. Place a small dollop of the filling in the center of each square and shape into small parcels. It’s best to place one corner on top of the opposite corner to form a triangle, then press the edges together firmly with your fingers. Before cooking the manti, prepare the sauces. For the yogurt sauce, mix all the ingredients well and season to taste. You can vary the herbs and spices here as well, so that the sauce harmonizes with the contents of the manti. For the spicy tomato and paprika sauce, sauté diced onion and garlic in hot oil until lightly browned, then stir in the tomato paste and paprika paste. Let it simmer for a bit, then stir in the manti cooking water. Season the sauce again to taste. The paprika paste I use is homemade in Turkey and very, very hot. If possible, use homemade paste, or use harissa or ajvar. You just have to work your way up to the spiciness. Place the finished manti in boiling salted water and simmer over low heat until they float to the surface. Arrange the manti on a large platter, pour the yogurt sauce over them, and mix a little with the manti. Serve the spicy sauce separately so everyone can add their own level of spice to their plate. Tip: If you don’t want to use the manti right away, you can freeze them as follows: Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them dry in the oven at 250 degrees Celsius for about 5 minutes. They can then be frozen in portions without sticking together.