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.
