Aleppo chile peppers, which have been cultivated in Syria for centuries, are quite mild in terms of heat, with a hint of raisin-y, sun-dried tomato sweetness. Due to the ongoing civil war, true Aleppo pepper from Syria is no longer available for import, but chiles grown in neighboring Turkey are. You can find Aleppo pepper at Middle Eastern markets, or online. Korean gochugaru or paprika can be substituted for Aleppo pepper in this recipe.

Ground sumac can also be found at Middle Eastern markets or online. It adds a bright, tart finish to this dish.

Make-Ahead and Storage
Manti can be par-baked through Step 17, cooled, transferred to zipper-lock freezer bags, and frozen for up to 3 weeks; to finish, bake from frozen following recipe instructions, for 20 to 25 minutes. Broth can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 weeks (the picked meat from the lamb shank or neck can be added to the broth or stored in a separate zipper-lock bag); reheat gently in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Manti filling can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Manti dough can be made in advance and refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before rolling. Yogurt-garlic sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Sadly, as my family members grew older and schedules grew busier, we let this annual ritual fall by the wayside. I use “we” here, though in truth the decision was never up to me or any of the other men in my family, since we never participated in the work of making manti ourselves. When the women of our clan decided that they no longer had the time or energy to make manti for Christmas Eve, it was a sad but entirely understandable moment, in light of the labor involved.

Which is why I wanted to create a manti recipe for you here, to bring our family tradition back, even if only in recipe form. I used my Aunt Esther’s manti recipe as the inspiration and starting point for my own. I’ve streamlined her process slightly by turning to labor- and time-saving tools like a pasta roller and pressure cooker, and I’ve taken liberties with the dough formula a little, but for the most part I’ve tried to remain true to the spirit of her recipe, and the result.

As with all filled dumplings, manti are best made in a group setting, where the jobs of rolling, cutting, filling, and shaping can be shared among many people. For the time being, that’s obviously not an option, but I can say that during many rounds of recipe testing my wife and I had no problem making many hundreds of manti all on our own, just the two of us. Nor did we have any problem eating them all ourselves.

While first tray of manti bakes, repeat steps 7 through 14 with remaining 2 quarters of dough, followed by step 16 to bake and cool remaining manti (cooled manti can be transferred to zipper lock freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 weeks). Once all manti are baked, adjust oven racks so that one is in upper-middle position, the other is in lower-middle position, and lower oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). For the Yogurt-Garlic Sauce: Using a fork, mash garlic and salt to a rough paste on cutting board. Combine yogurt and garlic mixture in small bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed. To Finish and Serve Manti: In large saucepan, bring broth to boil over high heat. Add reserved lamb pieces, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Return both baking sheets of manti to oven and bake until manti are golden brown and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes (20 to 25 if starting with frozen manti). Add about 1/2 cup (120ml) hot broth to individual serving bowls. Place 15 to 20 manti in broth and top with 3 to 4 tablespoons yogurt-garlic sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper and sumac each. Serve immediately. (Lamb pieces reheated in the broth are meant to be served as a treat with any remaining manti.)

Special equipment
Electric or stovetop pressure cooker, fine-mesh strainer, pasta roller, rimmed baking sheets

For the Broth:
1 pound (450g) lamb shanks or lamb neck slices
1 1/2 teaspoons (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; if using table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight
1 quart (960ml) homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
5 medium garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1/4 cup (60g) tomato paste
For the Dough:
280 grams (about 10 ounces; 2 cups) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (135ml) water (add extra 1 teaspoon (5ml) if rolling dough by hand)
1 large egg yolk (15g)
For the Manti Filling:
1 small onion (about 6 ounces; 170g), peeled and quartered
3 medium garlic cloves
1 tablespoon (6g) fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or an additional 1 teaspoon paprika; see notes)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces (170g) ground lamb or 85% lean ground beef
2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the Yogurt-Garlic Sauce:
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups (450g) Greek yogurt
For Serving:
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or paprika or gochugaru; see notes)
2 teaspoons ground sumac
For the Broth: Sprinkle lamb evenly on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt and place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Combine lamb, chicken stock, garlic, tomato paste, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a pressure cooker, and stir to combine. Seal pressure cooker, and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat, if using a stovetop model, or by setting to pressure-cooker mode on an electric multi-cooker. Cook at high pressure for 40 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure (if using a stovetop pressure cooker; electric ones will automatically regulate the heat and pressure level).

Up until a few years ago, eating manti was a Christmas Eve ritual for my extended Armenian family. For weeks before the holiday, the women in the family would gather together on weekends at my Aunt Esther’s house to make the tiny dumplings, which they’d then freeze. Hours and hours (and hours) of work went into making enough manti to feed a few dozen people a meal they’d been looking forward to eating all year long. And then it would be over, and we’d all have to wait another year.

Manti are common to many Central and West Asian cuisines, small parcels of spiced ground lamb or beef surrounded by thin wheat dough wrappers that are typically steamed or boiled. However, Armenian manti, sometimes called “sini manti,” are a little different. The diminutive, canoe-shaped, and open-faced dumpling are baked until crisp instead, and are served in a tomato-infused meat broth, finished with a dollop of yogurt, minced garlic, and a sprinkling of Aleppo pepper and sumac powder. To me, this the ultimate manti, since the combination of flavors and textures is unparalleled: crunchy-crisp dumplings, their corners softened gently by the hot, aromatic broth, paired with the cool, tart yogurt, all of it brightened by lightly spicy, fruity, and tart garnishes.

Place dough on lightly floured work surface. Fold both ends in so that they meet at the center of the dough, and then fold the dough in half where the end points meet, trying not to incorporate too much air into the folds. Using rolling pin and fingers, flatten and stretch dough to 6- by 3-inch rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick. Pass through the rollers lengthwise 3 additional times. Narrow the setting by 1 notch and pass dough 3 times through the machine at this setting. Narrow the setting by 1 notch and pass dough twice through the machine at this setting. Continue passing the dough through the rollers, reducing the thickness by 1 setting each time until it measures about 24 x 3 x 1/16 inches (setting 5 on a Marcato Atlas pasta roller). It should now be very delicate and elastic to the touch, and slightly translucent. Transfer rolled dough to lightly floured work surface, and lightly coat both sides of dough with flour to prevent sticking. Using pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut sheet crosswise into fourteen 1 3/4-inch-wide strips. Divide each strip in half crosswise into two 1 1/2- by 1 3/4-inch strips; each sheet of dough should yield at least 28 strips.

Break up ground lamb into small pieces, add to food processor, and pulse to combine, 8 to 10 one-second pulses (do not over-process, as this will make the filling chewy and bouncy rather than tender). Transfer filling to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed (mixture may be made up to 24 hours in advance). To Roll the Dough and Bake Manti: Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Using a pastry brush, coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil each and set aside. Dust countertop lightly with flour. Unwrap rested dough and cut into quarters. Set one quarter on work surface and re-wrap remaining dough. Using rolling pin and fingers, flatten and stretch dough to 5- by 4-inch oval that is 1/4 inch thick. If using pasta roller, proceed to step 8. If rolling dough by hand, roll dough into 12- x 8 1/16-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Cut dough in half lengthwise to yield two 12- x 4-inch sheets. Cut each strip into seven 1 3/4-inch-wide strips. Divide each strip in half crosswise into two 1 1/4-inch squares; each sheet of dough should yield at least 28 squares. Proceed to step 13. Set pasta roller to widest setting and pass dough 3 times through the machine lengthwise at this setting.

Depressurize cooker using the quick-release method, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into clean heatproof container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; add water as needed to yield a total 3 cups (700ml) broth. Season with additional salt to taste. Transfer lamb to cutting board and set broth aside to cool to room temperature. When broth has cooled, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When lamb is cool enough to handle, separate meat from bones in large pieces; set meat aside and discard bones. For the Dough: Place flour and salt in food processor bowl and pulse twice to combine. Add butter and process until fully incorporated, 10 to 20 seconds. Add water (adding extra 1 teaspoon (5ml) water if rolling dough by hand) and egg yolk and process until dough ball starts to form and mixture looks pebbly, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter; return food processor bowl to base, but don’t clean it. Knead dough until uniform in texture (dough will remain slightly rough in texture), 15 to 30 seconds. Form dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and set aside to rest on countertop for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours (or transfer to refrigerator for up to 24 hours). For the Manti Filling: Meanwhile, in now-empty food processor, place onion, garlic, parsley, paprika, allspice, Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 15 seconds.

Using 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon, place scant 1/4 teaspoon ball of meat filling in center of each strip of dough.  Working one at a time, using lightly floured hands and fingertips, lift strip of dough in hands and fold in half loosely over filling lengthwise. Pinch sides of dough together, working your way toward filling to enclose it (do not seal dough across top and do not push ball of filling up and out of dumpling). Place manti on lightly floured counter and then gently pinch ends between fingers to form flat-bottomed, stable canoe shape. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining strips of dough. Using fingertips, gently press meat filling into manti to make them flush with top of dough. Repeat steps 7 through 14 with another quarter of dough (if rolling by hand, repeat steps 7, 13, and 14). Place baking sheet of manti in oven and bake until lightly and evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.

While the yogurt simmers, combine olive oil and garlic in a small skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring and swirling the skillet often, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the garlic and its oil into the yogurt and stir. The sauce should be quite sour, but will vary based on the yogurt used; add optional lemon juice, if needed.

Garlic and oil added to simmered yogurt
Stir rice into the yogurt until well combined; season with salt, if needed. Increase heat slightly and bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring often, until you reach a porridge-like consistency similar to a thin risotto or rice pudding, about 15 minutes; you may need to add more water depending on the rice you are using, but keep in mind that the consistency will also thicken as it cools.

To serve, ladle the rice into shallow bowls and, if using, top with the toasted nuts and/or dried mint.

Pavlova is a scrumptious Australian/New Zealand dessert made from baked sweetened egg white meringue topped or layered with fruit and whipped cream, and the first time I made it, it was a disaster.

Early in my career I was commissioned by a local catering hall to make around 100 individual pavlovas to be filled with fruit for a dinner honoring an Australian food personality. Up to this point, the only time that I’d made anything resembling a pavlova was for a plated dessert composed of a completely crisp meringue shell holding a mousse. So off I went, full steam ahead, and baked up 100 shells that were crackly crisp from the outside to the center. To make matters worse, I practically shrink-wrapped the boxes to make sure that they would stay completely crisp. All was successful, I thought, until some months later, when I came across a truly proper recipe that explained that a good pavlova meringue is crisp on the outside with a marshmallow-y soft center. Oops. I can only imagine the sound of folks clumsily shattering though the crunchy meringue, bits of dried egg white flying everywhere.

This pavlova, however, is baked to perfection. Cake pans contain the meringues as they bake, which helps to retain a manageable shape (free-form meringues can sometimes get unruly). Keeping the temperature low ensures the palest color, and I added a small measure of ground almonds for texture. For the filling, simple macerated strawberries and billows of fresh whipped cream—both of which are only lightly sweetened in order to balance the sweet meringue. Once assembled, this dessert will only keep a short time before the juicy berries start to melt the meringue away.

About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America’s Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore working on her new baking cookbook, and as a recipe developer for HungryGoWhere Singapore.

These cranberry orange muffins will be your family’s new favorite! Don’t tell them the recipe calls for healthy ingredients. These fluffy muffins are bursting with fresh cranberry and orange flavor, plus they’re whole grain and naturally sweetened! Recipe yields 12 muffins.
INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup honey or maple syrup
2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
1 cup plain Greek yogurt*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest from 1 medium orange (about 1 teaspoon), preferably organic
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin or line them with papers, if necessary.
In a food processor, process the cranberries for about 5 seconds, until they are broken into little bits (but not puréed—see photos). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk to combine, then add the yogurt, vanilla and orange zest. Mix well.

Plants such as centaury, yoghurt, halfmelon, yarrow, nettle and labada, which are among the rich endemic plant varieties of the Kars region, have been used for nutrition and treatment for centuries. In labada soup, it is first boiled in laba to remove the bitterness, then filtered and cut into small pieces. It is mixed with roasted onion and tiny cubed potatoes and added to the “umach” (mixture of milk and flour) and semolina to thicken it. While serving, sprinkle grated “dry” (or dry yogurt) on it.
The final touches were put on the conference day and the results were dishes that appreciated the material, evaluated the stem of the vegetable, the skin of the fruit, and put stale bread in different disguises. The philosophy behind the lunch was to create from nothing, to preserve, increase and suffice in relation to the topic of the conference.

It is possible to apply these meals at the SEVEN “Soul’s Full Lunch” or to adapt them. These are dishes from different corners of Anatolia that are in traditional cuisine but are increasingly forgotten. We chose one dish from each region and listened to their recipes from those who cooked them.

The sweet and crumbly biscuit crust acts as a contrast to the sourness of both yogurt and passion fruit in these easily-put-together tarts. For something sweeter, stir a couple of tbsp of icing sugar into the yogurt. The crispness is essential, but use a loose-textured, buttery biscuit rather than a hard gingernut. Makes 6

For the crust:
crumbly ginger biscuits 180g
cardamom pods 10
butter 80g

For the filling:
passion fruits 6
thick (strained) yogurt 500g

To finish:
crystallised rose petals 1 tbsp
passion fruits 2

You will also need 6 x 10cm metal rings or loose-bottomed tart cases.
Turn the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor or by putting them in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Crack the cardamom pods, extract the seeds and grind them to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or spice mill. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the cardamom then the crumbs and stir thoroughly. Set 4 tbsp of the crumbs aside.
Place the tart cases or metal rings on a baking sheet and divide the crumb mixture between them, packing them down lightly with the back of a spoon to form a thin disc. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the butter has set.

Thanks to its nutty flavor and striking purple hue, black rice, also called forbidden rice, had been one of my favorite grains when we lived in Austin. I’d get it from the bulk bins at the grocery store, eagerly anticipating adding it to salads and bowls when I got home. I don’t know why it fell out of the rotation when we moved, but after eating it on repeat throughout the spring, summer, and fall, I’m happy to report that in our house, black rice is back for good.

Whisk together the eggs with a dash of full-fat dairy, like whole milk or Greek yogurt, plus some salt and pepper. Stir in half of the cheese (we’re reserving the other half for topping the casserole).
Transfer the veggies into the egg mixture, stir to combine, then gently pour it all into a buttered baking dish. Top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake until the eggs are cooked through.

Ask any beauty pro and they’ll tell you: You won’t find the secrets of how to get glowing skin in the pan of a highlighter palette. That’s not to say there aren’t products that melt into your skin to fake that dewy, lit-from-withinlook. (If you’ve ever tried Pat McGrath’s Skin Fetish line, you know her highlighter duo is the next best thing to being born a Hadid.) Rather, getting a complexion that permanently looks as though you’re fresh off vacation—which is to say, healthy, radiant, and clear—is a combination of product, practice, and patience. The good news is that if you’re short on the latter, there are still plenty of quick-fix solutions.

Ahead, we asked a mix of makeup artists, aestheticians, dermatologists, and our team of beauty editors for their all-time best tips for glowing skin that actually give results—both long-term and short, for your face and your body—no matter your level of dedication or skill. Read on for their tried-and-true suggestions for how to get glowing skin.

A quick face massage goes a long way.

If you’re feeling blah, a two-minute face massage can help you look alive in the short term, as well as firm and contour over time. “Using your fingertips, massage a serum or oil into your face before applying makeup,” suggests Molly R. Stern, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Cara Delevingne. “The stimulation can help get the blood moving to wake up your whole complexion.” If you’ve got a little extra time to spare, we’re also big fans of this face “workout” to help strengthen your facial muscles and boost circulation.

Try a microcurrent treatment.

If your hands aren’t cutting it, try a microcurrent device. “When my complexion looks dull after a long flight or late night, I use the ZIIP device, which delivers electric currents into your skin,” says April Long, a beauty editor and contributor. “Twelve minutes leaves my face luminous and much firmer.” Other Glamour editors swear by the NuFace and Foreo Bear for similar results.

Bend over.

A glowing complexion doesn’t have to come with a steep price tag, and celebrity aesthetician Renee Rouleau’s favorite tip is free. “Hanging my head upside down for three minutes a day is my long-term strategy for getting that lit-from-within glow,” she says. Sound weird? Believe it or not, it actually does help with circulation, since it increases blood flow and oxygen to your face. Just don’t go longer than her recommended three minutes.

DIY a hydrating mask.

When it comes to exfoliation and blemish fighting, skip the DIY route and go with products made by pros. But if it’s hydration you’re after, you can whip up a moisturizing mask in your own kitchen. “I have a great DIY at-home mask recipe for dry winter skin,” says celebrity aesthetician “It contains yogurt, which is an anti-inflammatory with a lactic acid component, and avocado, which I recommend for any skin type because it has lots of B vitamins and fatty acids. I also add a little honey for hydration.”

Mix a half cup of plain yogurt, half of an avocado, and a quarter cup of honey together, then leave it on your face for 20 minutes. “It’ll really transform your skin,” she says.

Give your foundation a boost.

If your skin care isn’t cutting it, you can easily fake a glow by amping up your foundation. Elizabeth Olsen’s makeup artist recommends mixing a few drops of luminizer like into your moisturizer or foundation. “It will create an even, sheer layer of sheen that looks more natural than a highlighter,”

The sweet and crumbly biscuit crust acts as a contrast to the sourness of both yogurt and passion fruit in these easily-put-together tarts. For something sweeter, stir a couple of tbsp of icing sugar into the yogurt. The crispness is essential, but use a loose-textured, buttery biscuit rather than a hard gingernut. Makes 6

For the crust:
crumbly ginger biscuits 180g
cardamom pods 10
butter 80g

For the filling:
passion fruits 6
thick (strained) yogurt 500g

To finish:
crystallised rose petals 1 tbsp
passion fruits 2

You will also need 6 x 10cm metal rings or loose-bottomed tart cases.
Turn the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor or by putting them in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Crack the cardamom pods, extract the seeds and grind them to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or spice mill. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the cardamom then the crumbs and stir thoroughly. Set 4 tbsp of the crumbs aside.
Place the tart cases or metal rings on a baking sheet and divide the crumb mixture between them, packing them down lightly with the back of a spoon to form a thin disc. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the butter has set.

Plants such as centaury, yoghurt, halfmelon, yarrow, nettle and labada, which are among the rich endemic plant varieties of the Kars region, have been used for nutrition and treatment for centuries. In labada soup, it is first boiled in laba to remove the bitterness, then filtered and cut into small pieces. It is mixed with roasted onion and tiny cubed potatoes and added to the “umach” (mixture of milk and flour) and semolina to thicken it. While serving, sprinkle grated “dry” (or dry yogurt) on it.
The final touches were put on the conference day and the results were dishes that appreciated the material, evaluated the stem of the vegetable, the skin of the fruit, and put stale bread in different disguises. The philosophy behind the lunch was to create from nothing, to preserve, increase and suffice in relation to the topic of the conference.

It is possible to apply these meals at the SEVEN “Soul’s Full Lunch” or to adapt them. These are dishes from different corners of Anatolia that are in traditional cuisine but are increasingly forgotten. We chose one dish from each region and listened to their recipes from those who cooked them.