Turkish Cheesy Bite-Sized Dumplings (Print)

Bite-sized Turkish dumplings filled with creamy cheese, served with garlicky yogurt and spiced butter.

# Ingredients:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

→ Cheese Filling

05 - 1 cup Turkish white cheese or feta, crumbled
06 - 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
07 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Yogurt Sauce

09 - 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Spiced Butter

12 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or chili flakes

# Instructions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Create a well in the center, add egg and water. Mix and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
02 - Combine Turkish white cheese, ricotta, parsley, and black pepper in a bowl until evenly mixed.
03 - Combine Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and salt. Stir until smooth and set aside.
04 - On a floured surface, roll dough very thin (about 1/16 inch). Cut into 1.5-inch squares.
05 - Place about 1/2 teaspoon cheese filling into each square. Pinch corners together to seal and shape dumplings.
06 - Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dumplings in batches and cook 5–7 minutes until floating and tender. Drain thoroughly.
07 - Melt butter in a small pan, stir in paprika and Aleppo pepper, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
08 - Plate dumplings, spoon yogurt sauce over them, drizzle with spiced butter, and garnish with parsley if desired.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • These dumplings feel fancy enough for guests but come together faster than you'd expect once your hands know the rhythm.
  • The contrast of warm creamy cheese inside with cool tangy yogurt and nutty browned butter is genuinely addictive.
  • It's vegetarian comfort food that somehow feels more elegant than its simple ingredients deserve.
02 -
  • The dough absolutely needs that twenty-minute rest or you'll spend the whole time fighting it as it springs back and tears—I learned this the hard way after rushing through my second batch.
  • Don't drain your manti too aggressively; a little bit of starch clinging to them helps the yogurt sauce stick around instead of sliding off the plate.
  • The magic is in keeping the yogurt cool and the butter warm; serve everything immediately so you get that temperature contrast that makes the whole dish sing.
03 -
  • Shape your dumplings ahead of time and freeze them on a baking sheet—once frozen solid, transfer to a bag and cook directly from frozen, adding just a minute or two to the cooking time.
  • If your dough keeps springing back as you roll, let it rest for five more minutes under a towel; it's telling you it needs another moment to relax.
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