Turkish Stuffed Flatbread with Spiced Ground Meat

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Mantili Yufka is a beloved Turkish street food featuring paper-thin sheets of yufka wrapped around a juicy, spice-laced ground lamb filling, then pan-fried until the edges turn shatteringly crisp. The parcel is finished with sizzling browned butter and a cooling spoonful of garlicky yogurt for a balanced bite of rich, tangy, and herbaceous flavors.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 495 kcalCalories
• 26 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 38 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 27 gProtein
• 640 mgSodium
• 490 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 4.2 mgIron
• 9 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the meat filling

• 300 g ground lamb (or ground beef)
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Turkish pepper paste (or 1 tsp Aleppo pepper)
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

For assembly and cooking

• 4 sheets fresh or thawed yufka (about 60 cm round)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup warm water

For serving

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp Turkish pul biber (or smoked paprika)
• 1 tsp dried mint

Directions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb, grated onion, tomato paste, pepper paste, parsley, cumin, sumac, black pepper, and salt. Mix with your hands for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly sticky and uniform; set aside to rest while you prep the yufka.
2. Step 2: Lay one yufka sheet on a clean work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Place a quarter of the meat mixture in the center and spread it into a thin 12 cm round, leaving a 4 cm border around the edges.
3. Step 3: Fold the sides of the yufka up and over the filling to form a neat square or rectangular packet, pleating gently so the meat is fully enclosed. Brush the outside lightly with more melted butter and set aside; repeat with the remaining yufka and filling.
4. Step 4: Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place two stuffed yufka packets seam-side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp.
5. Step 5: Pour a quarter cup of warm water into the pan, immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam for 5 minutes so the meat filling cooks through and the yufka softens on top.
6. Step 6: Uncover and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until any remaining liquid evaporates and the underside re-crisps. Repeat with the remaining packets, adding more oil if needed.
7. Step 7: While the last packets cook, stir the grated garlic into the yogurt and season lightly with salt. In a small pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter until foamy and golden, then stir in the pul biber and dried mint; remove from heat.
8. Step 8: Transfer the hot stuffed flatbreads to a serving platter, spoon the spiced butter over the tops so it soaks into the seams, and serve immediately with the garlic yogurt on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• If you cannot find fresh yufka, thawed frozen phyllo (kept stacked and covered with a damp towel) works; use 2 to 3 layered sheets per packet for sturdier wrapping.
• For a juicier filling, chill the meat mixture for 20 minutes before assembling so the fat firms up and stays inside during cooking.
• A heavy cast-iron skillet gives the best crispy bottom; if using a thinner pan, lower the heat slightly and extend the steam time by 1 to 2 minutes.
• Serve the flatbreads straight from the pan, as the yufka loses its signature crispness within about 10 minutes of cooling.

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