Mercimekli tepsi mantisi (baked manti boats with green lentils & onions)

Name: Mercimekli tepsi mantisi (baked manti boats with green lentils & onions)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 300 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1 medium free range egg, beaten; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing; 2 tsp dried mint, plus extra for sprinkling; 1 tsp sumac, plus extra for sprinkling

These boat-shaped dumplings, known as manti, are a speciality in Turkey. Food writer Özlem Warren opts for a warming spiced lentil filling and bakes them in a rich tomato sauce for a comforting vegetarian dinner. Finished with a dollop of garlic yogurt and a drizzle of spiced oil, they're a labour of love, but well worth the effort. See Özlem's lamb manti recipe. Follow Özlem on Instagram.

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Vegetarian

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare45 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 35 mins
Pluschilling

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For the dough

300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 medium free range egg, beaten
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
2 tsp dried mint, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp sumac, plus extra for sprinkling

For the lentil filling

125g dried green lentils, rinsed
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Turkish pepper flakes

For the tomato sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
2½ tbsp double concentrated tomato purée

For the garlic yogurt

2 clove/s garlic, crushed
500g natural Greek style yogurt

For the spiced oil

4 tbsp olive oil
45g salted butter
½ tsp Turkish pepper flakes (or more if you like the heat)

For the dough, sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Pour in the egg, 120ml room-temperature water and the oil. With your hands, draw the flour into the liquid and knead to a rough dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put in a clean, greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and chill for 30 minutes.
Put the lentils in a pan, cover with hot water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked. Drain, refresh with cold water, rinse and tip into a bowl.
While the lentils are cooking, pour the oil into a large pan and set over a medium-high heat, then fry the onion for 7-8 minutes until softened and starting to caramelise on the edges. Mix the onion with the cooled lentils and the pepper flakes, season and set aside to cool.
Grease 2 large high-sided baking trays. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces (about 165g each) and roll into balls. Put 2 back in the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Put the other ball on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rough 32cm square. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into roughly 5.5cm squares. Put ½ tbsp lentil filling in the middle of each square and pinch the 2 parallel ends together to form a little boat to secure the filling, with the top of the boat uncovered. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Arrange the manti boats on the prepared baking trays, in 1 layer. Bake uncovered for 15-16 minutes, until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a pan, stir in the tomato purée until well combined, then pour in 600ml water and season. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat off. Pour the tomato sauce around the baked manti boats in their trays (it should reach a depth of about 5mm) and bake for 8 minutes more until most of the sauce is absorbed.
Meanwhile, make the toppings. In a separate bowl, combine the garlic and yogurt. Season, cover and set aside.
To make the spiced oil, put the olive oil and butter in a small pan set over a low-medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the pepper flakes, dried mint and sumac, then infuse for 35-40 seconds over a low heat.
Arrange the manti and sauce on a warm serving dish, then drizzle with the garlic yogurt and spiced oil. Sprinkle with a little extra dried mint and sumac, if you like, then serve immediately.