Armenian Manti

Making Armenian Manti is a satisfying and thrilling accomplishment. It's a quintessential way to experience the rich flavors and traditions of Armenian cuisine. The undertaking is not for the faint of heart, but if you grab a friend or relative to help, the process becomes more manageable and becomes a great way to spend quality time together.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

• Flour: All-purpose flour
• Egg: Just one egg to help bind the dough.
• Oil: For the dough, I used extra light-tasting olive oil which has a mild taste. For the pepper drizzle, I used extra-virgin oil, which has a nuttier taste. However, either will work.
• Warm water: for the dough
• Meat: Either lean ground lamb or lean ground beef
• Onion: One medium yellow onion
• Parsley: Fresh, flat-leaf parsley imparts a fresh, vibrant flavor to the meat.
• Spices: Ground allspice, kosher salt, ground black pepper, Aleppo pepper (or red chili flakes), smoked paprika, and one small bay leaf combine to add heat and warmth.
• Garlic: Freshly minced for a deep, rich flavor in the oil drizzle.
• Broth: Even though the recipe calls for lamb or beef, chicken broth has a mild taste for the broth. 
• Tomato sauce: Just a touch to richen the chicken broth.
• Yogurt: For extra richness, use full-fat plain yogurt or Greek Yogurt. Some specialty markets make carry Madzoon, an authentic Armenian yogurt.

How Do I Make Armenian Manti?

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Step 2: Prepare the dough

1. Combine the flour, salt, warm water, and olive oil in a large food processor. Then pulse until the mixture comes together. Alternatively, you can combine the flour and salt together, make a well in the center for the eggs and olive oil, and combine by hand. However, I really loved the way the dough turned out in the food processor and would highly recommend this method.
2. Form the dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap. Then let it rest for 30 minutes while you make the filling.

Step 3: Prep the meat filling ingredients

1. Rinse the parsley under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Remove most of the stems and chop up the leaves finely. Also, finely dice the onion.
2. Combine the ground beef, parsley, minced onion, allspice, kosher salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Form the Manti

1. Divide the dough into smaller portions for easier handling. Then, with a rolling pin or a pasta machine, roll the dough very thinly--you'll want it to be about 1/16 inch thick.
2. Cut the dough into 1 ½-2 inch squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Keep the dough squares covered with slightly damp kitchen towels to prevent them from drying out.
3. Place a small amount of filling (about half to one teaspoon) in the center of each square.
4. Pinch opposite corners of the square together to form a boat or canoe shape. Press the dough firmly to seal the edges. If your dough starts to dry out, you may need to dip your fingers in a bowl of water to help seal edges.

Step 5: Bake Manti

1. Generously grease the bottom of a large baking dish that you plan to use for the manti. I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
2. Carefully place each dumpling into a single layer of a greased baking dish. You can use your artistic flair to create a circular pattern in a round baking dish.
3. Bake the manti uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp.

Step 6: Prepare Broth

1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken broth, tomato sauce, olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Heat to a boil, then turn off the heat.

Step 7: Add Broth and Finish Baking

1. Carefully pour the hot broth over the baked manti, ensuring they are partially submerged.
2. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, uncovered, to allow the manti to soak up some of the broth while remaining crisp.

Step 8: Hot Pepper Drizzle

1. If you've made it this far, don't skip some of the final touches that will add flavor to your dish! In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Stir in the Aleppo pepper (or chili flakes) and minced garlic. Let the mixture cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Add a pinch of salt to taste.

Step 9: Serve

1. When the manti is done baking, serve the dumplings directly from the Dutch oven or transfer to individual serving bowls.
2. Top with a dollop of yogurt and drizzle with the hot pepper oil.

This dish is amazing and makes for a beautiful presentation for your next holiday meal or any time of year! Check out some other authentic Armenian dishes here.

📖 Recipe

Armenian Manti

This authentic Armenian manti is made with lamb or beef dumplings, a flavorful broth, and a yogurt and garlic pepper drizzle.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Armenian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

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Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ cup warm water adjust as needed for pliability
• ¾ teaspoon table salt

Filling

• 1 pound lean ground lamb or beef
• 1 medium onion finely minced
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Broth

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 small bay leaf

Hot Pepper Drizzle

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or chili flakes for more heat
• 1 small garlic clove minced (optional)
• Salt to taste

Yogurt Topping

• 2 c whole fat Greek yogurt or plain yogurt

Instructions

 

Make the Dough

• Combine flour, salt, olive oil, water and eggs in food processor and pulse until it comes together. Alternatively, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add the egg and olive oil. Gradually add warm water while mixing until the dough comes together. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Filling

• Wash and mince the fresh parsley and finely chop the onion. Then mix ground lamb or beef, onion, parsley, allspice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Form the Manti

• Roll the dough thin (about 1/16 inch). Cut into 1½–2 inch squares. Add ½ teaspoon filling to the center of each square. Pinch opposite corners to form a canoe shape.

Bake the Manti

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a Dutch oven or baking dish with butter. Place manti in a single layer.
• Bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes until golden.

Make the Broth

• Simmer chicken broth, tomato sauce, olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and a bay leaf in a saucepan.
• Pour hot broth over baked manti, ensuring they’re partly submerged.
• Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Hot Pepper Drizzle

• Heat olive oil in a small pan. Stir in Aleppo pepper or chili flakes and garlic. Let cook for 30 seconds. Add a pinch of salt.

Serve

• Serve the manti in bowls or from the dish. Top with yogurt and drizzle with hot pepper oil.

Keyword manti, traditional

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