Yesterday, we started the new year with a simple, soul-satisfying Turkish-Italian soup.
Technically, you only need two ingredients to make this soup inspired by our Italy trip to Bologna last year. Perfect since we didn't have much in our apartment!
From the freezer, I pulled out a bag of leftover turkey stock (from Thanksgiving) and a half-kilo bag of manti - small Turkish raviolis or dumplings. These dumplings, usually made from seasoned ground beef or lamb and wrapped in egg pasta, are served with a garlic-yogurt sauce in Turkey. However, I had a different idea in mind for my manti.
 |
| The Turkish manti are about 1/2-inch in diameter, and they freeze well. |
There's a tiny corner shop in Nisantasi that sells fresh manti and yufka. The shop is located down the street from Migros on Ihlamur Nisantasi Yolu Sokak. One kilo of manti costs 15 TL. Of course, you can always find manti sold at your neighborhood pazar too.
See, the manti reminded me of the tiny tortellini often seen floating in steaming bowls full of tortellini in brodo - a traditional soup in the regions of Bologna and Modena in Italy. (Read history of the tortellini soup here.) Our favorite flavor-packed tortellini in brodo was eaten at Trattoria Anna Maria in Bologna.
 |
| We had a lovely meal at this Bolognese trattoria - filled with pork and Italian wine! |
 |
| This photo doesn't do the soup justice! The tortellini often is filled with a mixture of seasoned ground pork, Parmesan cheese, egg and spices. |
Since the soup is based on a rich, flavorful stock, you must start with a homemade stock for best results. I knew my leftover well-seasoned turkey stock, boiled down for two hours from the turkey carcass, would best be utilized here. You certainly aren't going to find a capon at your local butcher here in Turkey or even in the U.S., so make a stock from a chicken or turkey instead.
Bring the broth to a boil and plop in the little dumplings. In a few minutes, your soup will be ready to serve. Hopefully, this will help cure my winter cold I brought back from the U.S.
Afiyet olsun!
 |
| What's for dinner? Manti in Brodo at our home in Istanbul. |
Manti in Brodo/Turkish Ravioli in Broth Soup
Ingredients:
1 T. sunflower oil
1 large onion, small diced
4-6 ea. garlic cloves, chopped small
500 g. manti or tortellini
3 L. homemade chicken or turkey stock
Garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute' until softened, about five minutes.
Add the stock and bring to a boil, covered with a lid.
Then, add the manti or tortellini into the boiling stock. Let simmer for 7-10 minutes. The manti will float to the surface when done cooking. Season the stock with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Serve the soup immediately in warmed bowls, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.