Sinop Ravioli Product Description and Distinctive Features: Sinop Mantı is a variety of dumpling made by stuffing lean, boneless minced beef—without any added oil—into dough sheets rolled out to a thickness of 1-2 mm. The dough is then folded into an ear-shaped form and boiled. When served, the dish is presented on a single plate, with one half topped with walnuts and the other half served with garlic yogurt. Because of its distinctive ear-shaped folding, this dish is also referred to as "ear dough" in the local region. After shaping, the dough sheets of Sinop Mantı can be briefly dried at 180°C for 5 minutes and then stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated at 4°C for 2 months, or rapidly frozen at -25°C and kept at -18°C for 2 months. The origins of Sinop Mantı trace back to ancient times, playing an important role in the culinary traditions of Sinop. Its distinctive production technique—especially the thin dough and unique folding style—combined with the special way of serving it, half topped with walnuts and half with garlic yogurt, demands considerable skill and craftsmanship. Therefore, the preparation method and expertise are deeply connected to the region’s cultural heritage. Production Method: Finely grated and water-pressed dry onions, along with salt and black pepper, are mixed into the minced meat and kneaded thoroughly until a uniform blend is achieved. The rested dough is then divided into two portions. To prevent sticking, the dough balls are dusted with flour and rolled out to a thickness of 1-2 mm. The rolled dough is quickly cut into squares measuring approximately 4-5 cm to avoid drying out. A teaspoon of the filling is placed on each square, and the dough is folded into a triangular shape by bringing together the two bottom corners. The remaining corner outside these joined corners is lifted upwards, forming an ear-shaped dumpling as depicted in Figure 1. If the shaped Sinop Mantı dough is not to be cooked immediately, it can be preserved by drying or shock freezing on trays lightly floured to prevent sticking. Drying is performed at 180°C for 5 minutes, allowing the dried dough to be stored at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated at 4°C for 2 months. Alternatively, the shock freezing process takes place in cold storage at -25°C, and the frozen dough, once packaged, can be kept at -18°C for up to 2 months. Ingredients for cooking: - 20 g salt - 10 ml vegetable oil Salt and vegetable oil are added to boiling water in a pot, then the mantı is carefully placed into the water. It is important to ensure the mantı is fully submerged. After simmering on low heat for about 7-8 minutes, 1 cup of cold water is poured in and the pot is left to rest for 1 minute. This step helps prevent the mantı from sticking together and maintains its firmness. Finally, the mantı is removed with a strainer and drained. Sauce ingredients: - 200 g unsalted butter - 250 g full-fat yogurt - 2 cloves of garlic - 130 g walnuts Garlic is crushed in a mortar and blended into the yogurt to create a garlic yogurt sauce. Walnuts are finely chopped. Butter is gently melted in a pan. The drained mantı is arranged on a serving dish, then a tablespoon of melted butter is drizzled over it. As illustrated in Figure 2, garlic yogurt is spread over half of the mantı, while the other half is sprinkled with crushed walnuts. After adding another drizzle of butter, optional spices like red pepper flakes and mint can be sprinkled on top. The Sinop Mantı is now ready to be served.