Homemade Turkish Mantı with Garlic Yogurt and Chili Butter

Place flour in a large bowl. Add salt, water, and egg. Mix with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.

Transfer dough to a clean surface. Knead by hand for 8-10 minutes until soft and smooth. Add more flour if too sticky. Alternatively, use a stand mixer.

Divide the dough into 2 lumps. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside.

In a bowl, combine minced meat, grated onion, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Knead well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Lightly flour a clean counter and rolling pin. Take one lump of dough, sprinkle with flour, and roll it out to a 50 cm diameter circle, about 1.5-2 mm thick. Flip and rotate 90 degrees halfway through.

Cut the dough into small squares, approximately 3cm x 3cm, using a knife or pizza cutter.

Place a small amount of minced meat filling in the center of each square. Moisten your fingers slightly and pinch opposite corners together. Fold all four edges over the meat filling and pinch to seal.

Repeat the shaping process for all the dough and filling.

Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the 2 whole garlic cloves.

Carefully add the shaped mantı to the boiling water. Cook for about 3-3.5 minutes, or until they float and are no longer doughy. Taste one to check for doneness.

After turning off the stove, add 1 glass of cold water to the pot. This helps prevent the mantı from overcooking.

Take 1 glass of the mantı cooking water and add it to the strained yogurt in a bowl. Whisk well. Crush the garlic from the boiling water and add it to the yogurt mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it sizzles, remove from direct heat and shake gently to create a foamy texture. Add red pepper flakes and shake again to infuse the butter without burning the flakes.

Using a skimmer, remove the cooked mantı from the water and place them on a serving plate. Spoon the garlic yogurt sauce over the mantı, followed by the chili butter sauce. Garnish with dried mint and sumac, if desired.