Yalancı Mantı: The Easy Turkish Pasta

I did my due diligence to make this dish right, so I hope my Turkish friends aren’t too upset with me. This is yalancı mantı—a “cheating” version of traditional manti, which takes hours to make. Think of this as the easier, faster way to enjoy those flavors we all love! And stick around because I’ll share the secret to nailing the tomato butter sauce.
Ingredients:
For the Beef Mixture:
1 yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb ground beef
Salt, pepper, cumin (to taste)
For the Pasta:

1 lb shell-shaped or bowtie pasta
Salted water for boiling
For the Tomato Butter Sauce:

1/2 to 1 stick unsalted butter
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt (to taste)
For the Yogurt Sauce:

2 cups strained yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
To Serve:
Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
1️⃣ Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add tomato paste and cook briefly. Add ground beef, season with salt, pepper, and cumin, and cook until browned. Stir in fresh parsley.
2️⃣ Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3️⃣ Melt butter in a pan, stir in tomato paste, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and turns deep red. That’s the key to locking in that rich, buttery flavor.
4️⃣ Combine strained yogurt with salt, garlic, and lemon juice until smooth.
5️⃣ Plate the pasta, spoon over the yogurt sauce, top with the beef mixture, and finish with the tomato butter sauce. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top for a burst of color.
#YalanciManti #TurkishComfortFood #MiddleEasternCooking #FamilyMeals #TurkishPasta #MediterraneanFood 🍅🧈