Using pork in this recipe may be sacrilege (originally fat-rumped lamb would have been used), but this is the way we make them and I will stick to the Ukrainian version this time since I love pork belly. They should be eaten with your hands, and you should try and catch the juices that accumulate inside. This requires a bit of practice, as they are eaten hot.
Serves 4 hungry people
Makes 20
INGREDIENTS
250g (8oz) boneless pork belly or shoulder
150g (5oz) onion, finely diced
1 recipe quantity of Water Dough
about 50g (2oz) butter
sunflower or other flavourless oil, for oiling
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
melted butter, to serve
Water dough
1 large egg , lightly beaten
150ml ( ¼ pint) water
300–350g (10–11½ oz)
‘00’ or plain flour,
plus extra for dusting
fine sea salt
METHOD
1 Slice the pork into thin strips and then cut it across as finely as you can. You are basically making hand-chopped mince here. Add the onion to the meat in a bowl, season really well with salt and mix thoroughly with your hands.
2 Divide the Water Dough into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a sausage shape. Cut each sausage into 10 x 25g (1oz) pieces.
3 Roll each piece into a rough 12cm (5-inch) square. Place 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture in the centre of each square and a tiny piece of the butter on top of the filling. Pull up 2 edges of the square and press them firmly together above the meat. Do the same with the 2 other edges, creating an X shape with the edges. Now join the ‘ears’ by joining the corners, turning the X shape into a ∞ shape.
4 Lightly oil your steamer and pop the manty in. Steam them for 45–50 minutes or until the filling inside is cooked. Serve with some melted butter and plenty of pepper.
‘Mamushka by Olia Hercules is published by Hachette Australia. Hardback RRP $39.99, Ebook $19.99’
