Ingredients:
Fresh Pasta
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling:
• 500 gram lamb, finely chopped
• 500 gram onion, finely chopped
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• Fresh pasta, recipe follows
Serving:
• Melted butter, for brushing
• Sour cream or yogurt, and chopped fresh chives (optional)
Directions:
Dough:
• On a clean, spacious work surface, pile the flour into a mound and create a wide well in the center.
• In a measuring cup, mix the water and salt until dissolved.
• Slowly pour the water mixture into the well, using two fingers to stir and gradually draw the flour into the liquid until it incorporates.
Tip: Stop adding flour once a soft, cohesive dough forms—do not force the dough to take in all the remaining loose flour if it feels firm enough. Knead until smooth, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes.
Filling:
• While the dough rests, prepare the filling.
• In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the finely chopped lamb, chopped onions, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to mix well so the onion juices start to tenderize the meat.
Manty:
• Roll out your rested dough evenly into a thin sheet, either by hand with a rolling pin or using a pasta machine.
• Using a round 3-to-4-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough rounds.
• Place 1 teaspoon of the seasoned lamb mixture directly into the center of each round.
Shaping:
• Bring two opposite edges of the dough circle together over the filling and pinch them tightly at the center.
• Bring the remaining two opposite edges up to the center and pinch them together, forming a square pouch with four distinct corner flaps.
• Take the adjacent flaps on each side and pinch them together in pairs to create the final rounded, classic manti shape.
Cooking:
• Lightly brush your steamer disks with oil to prevent sticking.
• Arrange the shaped dumplings across the disks, leaving a 1/2-inch space between them so they can expand.
• Bring the steamer water to a rolling boil, stack the trays, cover tightly, and steam for 45 minutes.
Serving:
• As soon as the timer goes off, turn off the heat and remove all the manti immediately from the hot steamer so they don’t get soggy.
• Arrange them on a serving platter, lightly brush the tops with melted butter to keep the skins soft, and serve hot alongside sour cream.
