Մանdelays — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tiny boat-shaped dumplings filled with spiced beef, baked until golden, then drenched in garlic yogurt and topped with sumac-spiked tomato sauce. These miniature masterpieces are a testament to Armenian culinary artistry.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
300g ground beef
1 onion, very finely diced
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp sumac
2 cups yogurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp dried mint

Instructions

1 Make dough by mixing flour, eggs, water, and salt. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
2 Mix ground beef with finely diced onion, allspice, pepper, and salt until well combined.
3 Roll dough very thin and cut into 3cm squares. Place a small amount of filling on each square.
4 Pinch corners upward to form open boat shapes, sealing the sides but leaving the top open.
5 Arrange manti on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 190C for 15-20 minutes until dough is golden and crisp.
6 Serve topped with warm garlic yogurt sauce, then drizzle with tomato-sumac butter sauce and sprinkle with dried mint.

Did You Know?

Armenian tradition says that a good cook should be able to fit 40 manti onto a single spoon, reflecting how tiny and delicate the dumplings should be.