Armenian Manti

These little boats, or manti, have much in common with Chinese dumplings, wonton, and Italian ravioli.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (225g) lamb, minced
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• pepper to taste
• salt to tasteDough
• 8 oz (225g) flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• pimento to garnish (optional)
1 1/4 cups (285 ml) yogurt
• 1 tbsp sumac

Preparation:

Mix meat with onion, parsley, pepper and salt and fry in the butter until brown all over. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour and salt together in a basin. Break the egg into the center and mix to a firm dough adding water as necessary. Knead well, and leave to rest in a cool place for 30 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/16” (1.5 mm) thickness and cut into 2” (5 cm) squares.

Place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square and fold the corners inwards about 3/8” (1 cm), lift up the corners and squeeze together to form a square ‘boat’.