Mushroom Manti & Sutlu Borek

Mushroom Manti | Ingredients

For the dough:

300g Turkish inci flour or ‘00’ pasta flour, plus extra for dusting (or use plain)

1 large egg, beaten

5 tbsp water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Fine semolina, for dusting

For the Filling:

1 brown onion, finely diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp pul biber

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp tomato puree

250g mushrooms, finely chopped

20g parsley, finely chopped

For the Chili Butter:

100g unsalted butter

1 tbsp pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes, paprika can substitute)

½ tsp sea salt flakes

For the Yoghurt:

300g Greek yoghurt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tbsp evo

To Garnish:

20g pine nuts, toasted

Hellim cheese (halloumi), grated

Dried mint, Sumac, Urfa chilli

METHOD

  1. Start with the manti dough by mixing the flour and salt in a big bowl. Slowly drizzle in the egg and olive oil mixing until it comes together as a dough.

  2. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

  3. Cover the dough and leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

  4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the diced onions and mushrooms over a medium heat as they start to release their juices.

  5. Turn up the heat to evaporate off the water they start to caramelise. Add the garlic, spices and tomato puree and cook for 5 mins.

  6. Transfer the filling to a bowl to cool. Stir in the parsley and season well with salt and pepper.

  7. Heat the butter until it begins to brown but not burn, it will give off a nutty caramel smell.

  8. Quickly pour through a fine sieve and add the pul biber and salt. Keep warm for serving later. or you may need to gently reheat.

  9. Prepare the yoghurt by mixing the ingredients together in a bowl and season.

  10. When the filling is cold, cut the dough into 4 pieces and on a floured surface, roll out one piece to 2mm thick. Use a knife to slice the dough into squares, about 5x5cm. Fill the centre of each square with 1-2tsp of filling. Brush the edges with a little water and fold the corners of the square into the middle. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the rest of the manti and place on a tray heavily dusted with fine semolina.

    (You can store these in the fridge for up to 24hrs if not cooking immediately.)

  11. Bring a pan of salted boiling water to the boil and cook the manti for 5-8 minutes or until soft and cooked through.

  12. Serve with the yoghurt and brown butter. Finish with the toasted pine nuts, grated hellim, and a pinch of all the spices.

Sutlu Borek | Ingredients

For the filling:

60g rice flour (5 tbsp)

1 tbsp cornflour

40g caster sugar

300ml whole fat milk

300ml double cream

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Syrup:

400ml water

250g caster sugar

¼ tsp rosewater

1 tbsp lemon juice

Filo pastry x7 sheets

200g unsalted butter, melted

100g pistachios, roughly chopped


Method

  1. Take the filo pastry out of the fridge to reach room temperature. Preheat the

    oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4.

  2. Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan. When the sugar is completely dissolved, bring to a simmer for 15 minutes until it thickens to a syrup consistency.

  3. Add the rose water and lemon juice and leave to cool.

  4. Heat the milk and cream in a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Mix the cornflour with a tbsp. of water till it forms a liquid and add to the pan along with the rice flour, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Bring to the boil and whisk as the sugar dissolves. Keep whisking as it reaches a thick, custard like consistency, to hang off a spoon. Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool (it will thicken more as it cools).

  5. Open the filo pastry just before using and leave covered with a damp tea towel so it won’t dry out. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

  6. Cut each sheet of filo in half. Brush all over with butter, particularly around the edges. Spoon 2 tbsp of the custard filling into the centre of one end (around 5cm up from the bottom) and gently press into a square shape (5cmx5cm). Fold over the sides to cover the filling, meeting in the middle so they overlap slightly. Fold the bottom edge over the filling and brush the folded edges with more butter. Fold the pastry over the custard, and roll up to form a parcel. Don’t roll too tightly as the filling will expand in the oven.

  7. Brush butter all over the top and place in the tin. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling.

  8. Place the baking trays in the oven for 25 minutes until golden and crispy all over.

  9. Remove the parcels from the oven and drizzle over the syrup. Leave to soak for 5. minutes before scattering over the pistachios.