Beef Dumpling (Armenian Manti)

Manti first reached Cilician Armenia as a result of the cultural interaction between Armenians and Mongols during their alliance in the 13th century. Migrating Turkic-speaking peoples brought the dumpling with them to Anatolia, where it evolved into the Turkish mantı. Every culture seems to have their own dumpling. Armenians have manti, little boats, usually stuffed with ground lamb or beef. Out of the oven, they are golden, crunchy and savoury. Then, they are thrown into a broth lightly blushed with tomato and topped with a dollop of yogurt. This soup is warming, comforting and very filling. This dish is traditionally served on a low side table making it a feature. On the table is a deep soup dish containing the broth and Manti pieces, next to them the Labneh topping in a separate bowl and scattered all around them are large cups and saucers for people to serve themselves this most delicious dish.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. allspice
1 Tbsp. parsley, freshly chopped
4 Tbsp. tomato paste, divided
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 pkg wonton wraps, cut into quarters (or make your own dough)
8 cups chicken broth

Topping:
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, allspice, 1 Tbsp. of the tomato paste and salt and pepper.

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread out some waxed paper on a counter or table to protect the surface. Keep the wonton wraps under a damp towel to prevent them from drying out. You’ll need a small bowl of water for each person helping out. I like to work in batches. I lay out about ten to fifteen squares at a time, then using a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon I drop that amount of the meat mixture onto each square. Dip your fingers in the bowl of water, wet the outer edge of each square of dough and bring up the sides, pinch together while pushing down toward the table to create the little boats you see in the picture. Place each manti onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Continue until you’ve used all of the meat mixture.

Bake the manti on the center rack in the oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy, golden and crunchy. My oven can be very uneven, so I check often and rotate the sheet halfway through.

While the manti are baking, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add 3 Tbsp. tomato paste and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and a bit of pepper if needed.

Once the manti have baked, you can immediately throw them in to the pot of broth. I like to take the pot off of the heat and let them sit for maybe 5 minutes.

Serve in bowls topped off with a healthy dollop of the yogurt. You can mix the minced garlic into the yogurt if desired. That is the traditional way to eat it.

Cook's Notes:

The wonton wraps come in 3" squares.  Cut them in half in both directions to get 1½" squares. Or you can make your own dough:

1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 cup water
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached

Mix flour and salt. Add enough water to make a stiff dough. Take a quarter of the dough and roll thinly on a floured surface. Cut into 4x3 cm rectangles.