Description
A quick weeknight Turkish pasta dish that delivers all the comforting flavors of traditional manti in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups pasta
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 14oz ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 2 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- parsley, for garnish
- Cherry tomatoes, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon as it browns.
- Add diced onion to the beef and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Season the beef mixture with salt and pepper, then stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons (or more, if required – depending on how dry the meat is) of reserved pasta water to the meat mixture to maintain moisture. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, crushed garlic, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter with a pinch of salt.
- Toss the drained pasta with the melted butter until coated.
- To serve: Place buttered pasta in serving dishes, top with a generous dollop of garlic yogurt sauce, then spoon the meat mixture over the yogurt.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and halved cherry tomatoes.
Notes
- Don’t rinse the pasta after cooking – the starch helps the sauce adhere better.
- For best results, bring yogurt to room temperature before making the sauce.
- For a spicier version, add Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes to the meat mixture.
- The garlic in the yogurt sauce can be adjusted to taste – add more for a stronger flavor or less for a milder dish.
- If the garlic yogurt sauce tastes too strong, a small squeeze of lemon juice will help balance the flavors.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately after assembly while the temperature contrast between the hot pasta and cool yogurt is most pronounced.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Turkish
