Manti (meat dumplings) in brothy tomato sauce

Originally shared on The Nosher

From Turkey to Armenia, Uzbekistan to Ukraine, manti are a popular comfort food found across Central Asia and Eastern Europe. As an ancient form of dumpling, some trace manti’s origins back to the 1300s during the Mongol Empire in Turkey, while others credit the dish as a gift of the Silk Road; notably, Uyghurs from Northwest China have been making a version of bread prepared in steam known as “mantau” for centuries. Regardless of their origin, manti traveled East towards Korea, West towards the Caucuses, and everywhere in between. 

While their popularity spans continents, the shapes and styles differ by region. In Turkey they’re often formed into small pyramid-like pouches, sometimes baked and simmered, sometimes boiled, often topped with yogurt, and served in a tomato-based broth or sauce. On the other hand, the ancient Bukharian Jewish community in Central Asia are known for large intricately shaped manti, generously filled with meat and always steamed – never boiled. There’s also a dairy version of Bukharian manti that’s filled with cheese and served with yogurt.

Like many celebratory old-world foods, these hand-formed dumplings take a bit of time and effort to prepare, making them ideal for calling a helping hand into the kitchen. Historically, this dish was even a communal activity. While making homemade dumpling dough can be deeply satisfying, you can simplify the manti-making process by using store-bought wonton wrappers – a tip I happily discovered in Gabrielle Hamilton’s “Prune” cookbook. Given the labor, whether it’s with store-bought or homemade wrappers, when I make manti I often double the recipe, freezing extras for future enjoyment. 

Let me preemptively warn you, this manti recipe may not look or taste like the manti you’re familiar with. After exploring different shapes, sizes and toppings, my preference is for smaller-sized manti shaped into pouches. I serve mine in a Turkic-inspired brothy tomato sauce topped with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of lemony sumac. I’ve provided directions for steaming or boiling your manti, depending on your preferred technique. If you find yourself hoping for a larger sized manti, the dough can be filled and shaped according to your family’s custom. Whether you stick to the recipe as written or try something more traditional to you, the joy of manti lies not in their size or shape, but in their pillowy soft tenderness, and the inherent comfort they bring to every table.

Note: I use Diamond brand kosher salt for this recipe, if using Morton’s or sea salt use ⅓ less.

Manti in brothy tomato sauce
Makes 48 dumplings, serves 4-6

Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
For homemade dough:
3 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt*
¾ (175 ml) cup water
1 large egg, beaten

If using store-bought dough:
50 3” square wonton wrappers

For the filling:
1 lb ground beef or lamb
1 small onion, grated or very finely diced 
½ cup parsley, chopped
2¼ tsp Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
1 tsp sweet paprika

For the tomato broth:
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 oz) can (⅔ cup) tomato paste
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, or 4 large Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, or to taste
4 cups chicken or beef stock
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For garnish (optional):
Chopped parsley, mint, or cilantro
Sumac or Aleppo pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

For the dough:

1. Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir together. If you are measuring your flour by cup instead of by weight, remove ¼ cup of flour and reserve. 

2. Make a well in the center of the flour, and add the water and egg. Stir to combine into a shaggy ball, then transfer onto a clean surface and knead. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. 

3. Cover the dough with a bowl, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. While your dough is resting, prepare your tomato broth.

For the tomato broth-

1. In a deep skillet or large pot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot add the minced garlic and sauté until just fragrant, about 1 minute. 

2. Add the tomato paste to the skillet, and stir and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. The tomato paste will turn a darker color as it caramelizes, which will add depth of flavor to the broth. 

3. Add the diced fresh tomato, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and sauté and stir for 1 minute. 

4. Add the broth, and let it come to a boil, then gently simmer for 30 minutes. Once it’s done simmering, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Turn off the heat and reserve for serving. If you want a thicker consistency, simmer for longer; if you want a brothier consistency, add more stock or water. 

5. Tomato broth can be made several days in advance and reheated as needed. 

For the filling:

1. To a medium bowl, add the ground beef, grated onion, chopped parsley, salt, and paprika.

2. Mix until just combined; be careful not to overwork the filling or it can become tough. 

To assemble and cook the manti with homemade dough:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle flour on top of the paper. Fill a small bowl with water. 

2. Lightly flour your surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Take one quarter to roll out, and make sure the remaining dough is covered so that it doesn’t dry out. 

3. Roll out the dough into a thin 11-12” square, about as thin as a sheet of lasagna. Cut the dough into 12 even squares, each will be about 2.5-3”.

4. Add 1½ teaspoons of the filling to the center of each square. Dab a little water along the edges, then bring two opposite corners towards the center of the dough, and then bring the remaining two corners towards the center. Pinch down the edges of the dough, to form a pyramid shape. Alternatively, you can shape the manti however is most desirable or easiest for you. Make sure the edges are very secure, then place the formed manti onto the floured baking sheet. 

5. Repeat the manti forming process with the remaining dough

6. At this point you can immediately cook your manti, or you can place the baking sheet into the freezer. Once the manti are frozen, transfer them to a Ziplock bag or airtight container. They can be cooked from frozen the same way as they are from fresh.

7. Boil or steam your manti.

8. To boil – Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 20-30 manti to the pot, depending on their size. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot; you will likely need to cook them in batches. Cook until they all float to the top and are tender and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. If cooking from frozen this may take an additional 3-4 minutes. 

9. To steam – Use a multi-tiered steamer or add water to the bottom of a large pot with a steamer basket placed above the water line. Lightly brush the bottom of the steamer basket with oil, bring the water up to a simmer then place the manti in a single layer into the basket and cover with a lid; if you do not have a multi-tiered steamer you will need to cook them in batches. Steam for 30-40 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

10. Serve immediately, topped with a ladle full of hot brothy tomato sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sumac or Aleppo pepper if desired.

To assemble and steam the manti with wonton wrappers: 

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with water. 

2. Place 6 wonton squares onto a clean surface, keep the remaining squares covered so that they don't dry out. 

3. Add 1½ teaspoons of the filling to the center of each square. Dab a little water along the edges, then bring two opposite corners towards the center of the dough, and then bring the remaining two corners towards the center. Pinch down the edges of the dough, to form a pyramid shape. Make sure the edges are very secure, then place the formed dumplings onto the lined baking sheet. 

4. Repeat the dumpling forming process with the remaining wrappers, six at a time. At this point you can immediately cook your manti, or you can place the baking sheet into the freezer. Once the manti are frozen, transfer them to a Ziplock bag or airtight container. They can be cooked from frozen the same way as they are from fresh.

5. Steam your manti using a multi-tiered steamer, or add water to the bottom of a large pot with a steamer basket placed above the water line. Lightly brush the bottom of the steamer basket with oil, bring the water up to a simmer then place the manti in a single layer into the basket and cover with a lid; if you do not have a multi-tiered steamer you will need to cook them in batches. Steam for 10 minutes until tender and the wrapper becomes soft and translucent; if cooking from frozen you will need to steam for 3-4 additional minutes. 

6. Serve immediately topped with a ladle full of the hot brothy tomato sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sumac or Aleppo pepper if desired.

Cherry Vareniki

Cherry vareniki (half-moon-shaped dumplings) in Ukraine are typically made with sour cherries, known as vishnya. They are nostalgic for many from the region — including my family — and were famously novelist Nikolai Gogol’s favorite food. My family immigrated from Soviet Ukraine to Seattle, and after almost a decade of building a new life in America, my parents were able to buy their first home. It had an enormous garden, with an established cherry tree. Soon after moving, when I was a very small child, my grandparents came to visit us from out of town. That summer, the cherry tree was loaded with fruit. I vividly remember picking glossy, red cherries off the tree with my grandmother and brother by my side. There was more fruit than could be eaten fresh, and my grandmother decided to use some of the harvest to make a large batch of cherry vareniki. We sat outside and ate bowls of the dumplings – pillowy and bursting with tart, sweet fruit. 

Vareniki are similar to pierogi or pelmeni; the dough is tender and soft, and the filling is only lightly sweetened so that the flavor of the fruit shines. This dish straddles the line between sweet and savory; topped with smetana (sour cream), one can eat cherry vareniki either as a main course or as a dessert. When using sour cherries, I eat my vareniki as a savory dish; you can get sour cherries fresh for a few weeks each year, otherwise, I pick them up frozen or preserved from Eastern European or Russian markets. When I fill the vareniki with Bing or Rainier cherries, I enjoy these dumplings as a sweet treat.

I love to serve cherry vareniki with a simple cherry sauce made from the extra filling, topped with big dollops of sour cream to balance out the sweetness. Like any kind of homemade dumpling or ravioli, vareniki take some effort to make, but are unquestionably worth the work. They’re ideal to make with a group of friends, and you can double or even triple the recipe as needed. 

Notes:

• Vareniki freeze extraordinarily well, offering a way to preserve the best of fleeting cherry season for future bowls of sweet dumplings. Freeze uncooked in a single layer, then transfer them to a bag or airtight container for three months. 

Cherry Vareniki (Dumplings)
Serves: 4-6, makes about 50 vareniki
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For the dough:

• 3 cups + 2 Tbsp (400 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting or as needed 

• ¾ cup water

• 2 Tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the filling and sauce:

• 1½ lb (680 g) cherries or sour cherries

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• juice of ½ a lemon

• sour cream, as desired, for serving

Directions:

1. Start by making your dough: In a large bowl, combine the 3 cups of flour, water, sour cream, egg and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then transfer to a clean surface and knead until very soft, smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until it’s easy to knead and doesn’t stick to your hands. 

2. You can also make this dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment by adding all of the ingredients to the bowl, and mixing on the lowest speed until a shaggy dough forms. Turn up the speed to medium-low, and mix until smooth and soft, about 4-5 minutes. 

3. Transfer the dough to a bowl and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. 

4. While the dough is resting, start on your filling. Wash, dry and pit all of your cherries. If using a cherry pitter, cut the cherry in half after removing the pit. Add the cherries to a bowl with ½ cup of sugar, and let them sit and start to release their juices for a minimum of 30 minutes, or as the dough rests.

5. Once your dough has rested for an hour and your cherries have been sitting for at least 30 minutes, you can begin shaping your vareniki. 

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and heavily dust it with flour.

7. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Liberally dust both your rolling pin and your surface with flour. Roll out each piece of dough very thin, almost as thin as pasta; if you lift it up the dough light should come through it. 

8. Cut out 2-inch rounds of dough using a water glass or biscuit cutter, lightly flour the rim of the glass or cutter before making rounds. Gather up the scraps into a ball and reserve to re-roll the dough one time, after that discard any scraps. Fill each round of dough with about a teaspoon of cherry, about 1-1½ cherries. Seal the dumplings into half-moon shapes, if needed dab the edges with water to help it stick, but the dough should be sticky enough to press together on its own. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges of the dough to ensure they’re properly sealed. 

9. Transfer the formed dumplings onto the lined baking sheet. Reserve any remaining cherries for sauce. Repeat the process until you have used up all of the dough, and then place the dumplings in the freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes before cooking. While your vareniki are in the freezer you can bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

10. While the water is coming to a boil, add the remaining cherries to a small pot. Bring the cherry mixture up to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the cherries for 10-15 minutes or until they are very soft and broken down. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp of cornstarch with the juice of half a lemon. At the end of cooking the cherries, add the starch slurry, and simmer for an additional minute or until just thickened. If the sauce thickens too much, you can always thin it with water.

11. Add vareniki, in batches if needed, to the pot of water (be careful not to overfill).. Once the vareniki float to the top, simmer them for an additional 5 minutes. If using frozen vareniki, it may take a few minutes longer for them to float to the top. Remove the vareniki from the pot and serve immediately. 

12. Top the vareniki with sour cream and cherry sauce. 

Gogol Mogol (Kogel Mogel)

Whenever I had the slightest hint of a sore throat, the remedy in our Ashkenazi Jewish home was gogol mogol (kogel mogel in Polish). Gogol mogol is a Yiddish word for a shtetl recipe that dates back to 17th-century Central Europe. It’s a simple, sweet treat made with egg yolks and sugar that’s similar to a non-alcoholic version of eggnog or zabaione. 

Gogol mogol is considered both a dessert and a home remedy for colds and throat aches. There is some science behind its healing properties – an Israeli internal medicine doctor found that warm gogol mogol has an antibiotic effect that can speed up recovery for inflamed throats. Even Barbara Streisand’s mother allegedly believed in gogol mogol’s curative properties, and she tried to strengthen her daughter’s vocal cords by serving her this classic concoction. 

Gogol mogol’s origins are unknown, but the concoction may have been inspired by the “Shuclhan Aruch,” the 16th-century Sephardic Jewish code of law, where it is written that one can soothe their voice on Shabbat with raw egg or sweet syrup. Over time, gogol mogol became widely popular across Poland and the former Soviet Union, particularly during interwar periods when sweets were scarce.

There are countless variations of gogol mogol, but it is traditionally made by beating raw egg yolks with sugar or honey until they become thick, light and frothy. My father taught me to use a ratio of one tablespoon for every egg yolk. Often, warm milk is streamed into the egg mixture to make it thinner and easier to consume. Popular additions include vanilla, lemon or cocoa powder; and gogol mogol can be served as an adult beverage with the inclusion of rum, brandy, or cognac. Traditionally it’s served in drinking glasses, but like zabaione, it can also be served with fruit or a warm cake. 

This comforting, cozy, sweet dessert is sure to warm you up in the dark of winter.

Gogol Mogol
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks

• ¼ cup sugar or honey

• ¼ cup hot milk

Optional additions:

• 2 shots of rum or brandy

•  2 Tbsp lemon juice + 1 tsp zest

•  2 tsp cocoa powder

Directions: 

1. Using a handheld mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until lightened and thick, and doubled in size – about 3-4 minutes with the mixer, or 6-8 minutes by hand. 

2. Warm up the milk until just hot, and then stream it into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. If including any of the optional additions, whisk them in at this point. Serve immediately.

Apple Oladi - Ukrainian Pancakes

Oladi are pancakes that are popular in Ukraine and across the former Soviet Union. They come in a variety of styles but their batter is most often made with plain kefir (or buttermilk) and a leavening agent, such as baking powder or yeast. When fruit or cheese are added to oladi, they become fritter-like. They are typically cooked in a generous amount of sunflower oil, allowing them to puff up and become fluffy in the center with golden, crisp edges. 

The recipe for oladi first appeared in “Domostroy,” a famous 16th-century Russian book on household matters, but the term oladi comes from the East Slavic word oldaya, which refers to a flat cake of unleavened wheat, that dates back to 1470. Oldaya is derived from the Greek word for oil and is also associated with a Middle Greek oil cake called eladion. While these Russian pancakes may seem distant from the potato pancakes we eat at Hanukkah, the Yiddish word latkes comes from oladka, the Russian diminutive of oladi. 

In fact, early latkes were not made from potato at all, but were instead prepared with curd cheese fried in butter or oil, and likely originated in Italy, not Eastern Europe. Potatoes were not cultivated in Europe until the late 16th century; they became a staple crop in Russia and Poland in the 19th century. Once potatoes were ubiquitous in Ashkenazi communities, latkes for Hanukkah were made with potatoes fried in schmaltz. 

Oladi can be made plainly with flour, but they are also made with potato, carrot, beans, rice or even squash. Sweet oladi are made with apples or raspberries, especially in Ukraine. Like potato latkes, they are traditionally served with sour cream. You can make these apple oladi even sweeter by topping them with fruit preserves, a generous dusting of powdered sugar, or a drizzle of sweet, golden honey.

Apple Oladi
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-size apple 

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup plain kefir or buttermilk

• ¼ cup water

• 3 Tbsp sugar

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• big pinch of salt 

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

• oil, as needed (sunflower, avocado or any neutral-tasting oil)

Directions:

1. Peel your apple. Dice it very fine by hand or in a food processor.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, kefir/buttermilk, water, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. 

3. Add the flour to the bowl, and mix until just combined, be careful not to overmix.

4. Add the apple and fold it into the batter until just combined. Do not let the batter sit for too long before cooking the oladi, as the apples will begin to release their juices.

5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a generous amount of oil (about ¼” deep in the pan). Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium and add ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the oladi are golden brown on each side and have puffed up. Work in batches, and make sure not to crowd the pan. 

6. Serve immediately dusted with powdered sugar, and with sides of sour cream and fruit preserves.

Apple Sharlotka (Apple Cake)

Apple Sharlotka is a popular Russian and Polish apple cake that is easy to prepare and requires only a handful of ingredients. This dessert is dense with apples, but the cake surrounding the fruit is light and airy.  

Sharlotka comes from a style of cake or trifle called “Charlotte Cakes,” which are typically made with ladyfingers or sponge cake. The first apple Sharlotka is credited to a French chef, who prepared it in honor of the wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. While early versions of Sharlotka were decadent and complicated, over time the cake has evolved into a simple treat that can be easily baked at home. My own Ukrainian grandmother made apple Sharlotka more than any other cake, likely due to the fact that it is as easy to make as it is comforting and delicious. Along with a few apples, the batter is made all in one bowl with eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. 

Apple Sharlotka is best made with sweet and tart Granny Smith apples, or an heirloom apple, like Winesap. When the cake comes out of the oven it will have a crisp and crackly crust on top that softens the longer it sits. Just before serving, shower the cake with powdered sugar for added sweetness on top. 

Apple Sharlotka

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 3-4 (1.5 lbs/680 g) medium apples, like Granny Smith

• juice of ½ a lemon

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup (220 g) sugar 

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour (or sub with 1:1 gf flour)

• powdered sugar, as needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper; you can also use e a 9” round or square baking pan for this recipe. 

Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into 1” pieces, about ¼”-thick. Toss the apples in lemon juice, and then add them to the baking dish. 

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar. Alternatively, you can beat the eggs and sugar by hand using a whisk. Beat until the eggs are pale, fluffy, and have doubled in size, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat for one more minute.

Sift in half of the flour and salt to the egg mixture, and fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Sift in the remaining flour and salt, and fold them in until they are just incorporated. Be careful to gently fold in the dry ingredients, and to not overmix the batter. 

Pour the batter over the apples in the baking dish. If needed, use a spatula or spoon to smooth the batter over the top so it evenly covers the apples.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and firm on top, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour prior to serving. 

Before serving, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. Sharlotka can be made a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature, the crust will soften as it sits.