Beef & sour cherry manti with tomato-chilli butter
Treat yourself to a Turkish feast and put these beef and sour cherry manti (dumplings) centre stage. You can pre-make the manti and freeze them for ease
- Prep:1 hrs 20 mins
Cook:30 mins
Plus 30 mins resting - More effort
Nutrition per serving
- kcal 607
- fat 40g
- saturates 21g
- carbs 45g
- sugars 7g
- fibre 4g
- protein 14g
- salt 1.1g
Ingredients
- 300g Turkish inci flour or ‘00’ pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- fine semolina, for dusting
- toasted pine nuts, to serve
- thyme leaves, to serve
- 125g beef mince
- 30g onion (½ small), very finely chopped
- 20g parsley, very finely chopped
- 20g dried sour cherries, chopped
- ½ tsp fennel seeds, ground using a pestle and mortar
- 200g unsalted butter
- pinch dried oregano
- 1½ tbsp tomato purée
- 500g tomato passata
- sherry vinegar, to season
- caster sugar, to season
- 1 tbsp pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes)
- 125g Greek yogurt
- ½ small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- a pasta machine
Tip
Pre-make the mantiLeftover dough can be kept in the fridge for two weeks. Only roll out when you would like to use it, or freeze the dough in portions. To pre-make the manti, (you’ll need 16 for a starter to feed four) freeze them on trays, then transfer to airtight containers. To cook from frozen, add 2-3 mins to the cooking time.
Method
To make the dough, put the flour and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the egg and oil, then mix on a low speed. Gradually add about 2 tbsp water. Once the mixture starts to clump, tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 mins until you have a firm, smooth dough. Cut into four portions, wrap each one and rest in the fridge for 30 mins.
To make the filling, combine all the ingredients with some salt and mix well by hand. Fry a small amount to check the seasoning.
Feed one piece of dough through the largest setting on a pasta machine, then fold in half before rolling again. Continue until you reach setting 2/3. Lay the dough out on a work surface dusted with semolina and cut into squares about 6 x 6cm. Spoon 1 tsp of the filling into the centre of each. Brush a little water around the edges and gather up in the centre to form a manti shape (see top image). Continue until you run out of filling, putting the finished manti on a tray heavily dusted with semolina. Keep the remaining pasta wrapped as you work. You’ll have more than you need (see tip, below). Chill the manti for up to 24 hrs.
To make the tomato-chilli butter, melt half the butter in a pan, add the oregano and tomato purée and cook briefly before pouring in the passata with a pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for around 20 mins. Finish with a splash of sherry vinegar and a pinch of caster sugar. Heat the remaining butter until it browns, pour through a fine sieve, leave to cool for 2 mins, then add the pul biber. Combine the sauce and chilli butter and keep warm. Make the garlic yogurt by whisking the ingredients with 2 tbsp water.
Cook the manti in boiling water for about 5 mins until tender and the meat is cooked though. Drain and serve the manti with the yogurt sauce and chilli butter, and sprinkle with pine nuts and thyme.