Hand-Folded Turkish Manti with Spiced Lentil Duxelles and Garlic Foam

Rinse 50 g of raw brown lentils thoroughly. In a small saucepan, combine the lentils with 200 ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until completely tender. Drain any excess water and set the lentils aside to cool.

While the lentils cook, prepare the pasta dough. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 200 g of all-purpose flour, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 40 ml of water, and 3 g of salt. Knead on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes until a smooth, elastic, and firm dough forms. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Prepare the filling. Clean 150 g of cremini mushrooms and peel 40 g of shallots and 2 garlic cloves. Place them in a food processor and pulse until they form a very fine, paste-like mixture. Heat 15 ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom and shallot mixture, the cooked and cooled lentils, 2 g of ground cumin, 1 g of ground coriander, 1 g of salt, and 0.5 g of black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 12 to 15 minutes to evaporate all moisture, leaving a dry, concentrated duxelles. Stir in 10 ml of lemon juice, transfer to a bowl, and let cool completely.

Clarify the butter and bloom the spices. Melt 60 g of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off the white foam from the surface as it rises, until the milk solids settle to the bottom and turn golden. Carefully pour the clear golden clarified butter into a clean pan, discarding the solids. Warm the clarified butter over low heat (approx. 80°C), add 5 g of Aleppo pepper flakes and 2 g of dried mint, and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes to extract the fat-soluble flavors. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.

Prepare the garlic-yogurt foam base. Blanch 4 peeled garlic cloves in boiling water for 3 minutes to mellow their raw bite, then drain. In a tall beaker, combine the blanched garlic, 200 g of plain Greek yogurt, 100 ml of water, 15 ml of lemon juice, 2 g of soy lecithin, and 2 g of salt. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth and emulsified. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and warm gently over very low heat to 50°C (do not boil, or the yogurt will curdle).

Roll and shape the manti. Divide the rested dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion out using a rolling pin until it is paper-thin (about 1 mm thick). Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the sheet into precise 2 cm by 2 cm squares. Place a tiny, pea-sized dot (about 1/4 tsp) of the cooled lentil duxelles in the center of each square. Pinch the four corners of each square together in the center to form a tiny, star-shaped pouch. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, placing the shaped manti on a flour-dusted, parchment-lined sheet pan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the manti in batches into the boiling water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they float to the surface and the dough is cooked al dente. Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the cooked manti to a warm bowl, tossing them gently with 10 ml of the warm Aleppo-infused butter to prevent sticking.

Create the foam and assemble. Insert the immersion blender into the warm garlic-yogurt mixture, tilting the beaker slightly to incorporate air at the surface. Blend at high speed for 1 minute until a thick, stable, airy foam forms. To serve, spoon a pool of the liquid garlic-yogurt base into shallow bowls. Arrange the warm manti on top, spoon the stable garlic-yogurt foam over the dumplings, and drizzle generously with the remaining warm Aleppo pepper and mint-infused clarified butter.