Vegetarian cheat’s mantı with roasted butternut squash & green lentils over garlicky yogurt

This is a delicious vegetarian version of my meat Cheat’s Mantı, from Istanbul cookbook, using the seasonal squash and earthy green lentils, over shell shaped pasta. It makes a wonderful vegetarian topping, and with garlic yoghurt and spiced oil, it delivers comforting mantı vibes in less time. You can use pumpkin here too; we enjoy pumpkin, in savoury dishes in Turkish cuisine, and it is often paired with legumes in Anatolia.I contributed this recipe to Waitrose a while back, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

If you like traditional mantı, I would love you try my Cheat’s Mantı at Istanbul cookbook too – with spiced minced lamb, garlick yoghurt and spiced oil, it is a heavenly and easy feast.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem x

Serves 4 -6                                                                                                                                             

400g shell pasta or your choice of pasta

850g peeled, deseeded flesh of butternut squash, cut into 1cm cubes

2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting the butternut squash)

2 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing the onions)

80g green lentils, rinsed

1 large onion, finely chopped

Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

For the garlick yoghurt                                                                                                                        

400g yoghurt(use plant based if preferred)

2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

Sea salt to your taste

For the spiced oil                                                                                          

1 tsp pul biber (use more if you like the heat)

1 tsp ground sumac

2 tsp dried mint

4 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to fan 200C/220C/430F

Method:

1. Cut the squash into 1cm cubes. Place on an oven tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season, then coat the squash using your hands. Spread it out in a single layer on the tray and roast for 25-30 minutes, until cooked and a little charred at the edges. Combine the chopped garlic with yoghurt, season and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add the green lentils and a pinch of salt. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender, but not mushy. Drain in a sieve, rinse the lentils under cold water and set aside.
3. Heat a large sauté pan and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and the onions. Sauté over a medium to high heat for 10-12 minutes, until the onions start to caramelise. Stir in the roasted squash and lentils, then season. Gently combine over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat off.
4. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to pack instructions, until al dente. Towards the last minute of the pasta cooking time, take 3 tbsp pasta water and add to the vegetable and lentil sauce. Turn the heat back on and gently combine the liquid with the sauce to heat through. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, then drizzle with a little olive oil and combine, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
5. For the spice-infused oil, put the 4 tbsp olive oil in a small sauté or frying pan. Add the pul biber, mint and sumac. Stir and allow to infuse over a medium to low heat for 30 seconds, then turn the heat off.
6. Using a serving spoon, divide the pasta between plates. Spread a generous amount of sauce over the pasta, place dollops of garlicky yogurt over the sauce and drizzle the spiceinfused olive oil on top. Serve immediately.