Manti
The lamb will be easier to cut if it has been well chilled. Adding the salt to the filling just before forming the manti prevents the meat from curing.
·Filling can be chilled up to 24 hours. ·Dough (before rolling out) can be chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 24 hours.
Recipe information
Total Time
4 hours
Yield
Makes 8 first-course servings
Ingredients
For filling
For dough
Special Equipment
Preparation
Make filling:
Step 1
Thinly slice lamb and beef, then finely dice. Transfer to a bowl and add onion and cilantro.
Step 2
Grind cumin with mortar and pestle or in grinder and stir into meat mixture. Chill, covered,2 hours.
Make dough:
Step 3
Blend flour, salt, and eggs in a food processor until crumbly. With motor running, add water and blend until dough just begins to form a ball. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Wrap dough in wax paper and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Form dumplings:
Step 4
Halve dough and rewrap 1 half. Roll out remaining half on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick.
Step 5
Cut out rounds (about 16) with cutter and cover rounds with wax paper. Discard scraps. Stir salt and pepper into filling. Lay a clean kitchen towel on a work surface and dust with flour.
Step 6
Keeping remaining rounds covered, hold 1 round in palm of your hand and put a scant tablespoon of filling in center. Moisten edge of round with a finger dipped in water and fold round in half to form a half-moon, pinching edges together to seal. Put on flour-dusted towel. Repeat with rest of rounds, then with other half of dough.
Cook dumplings:
Step 7
Cook dumplings in 2 batches in a large pot of boiling salted water, turning occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to plates and serve immediately.
