- 35
Ingredients
- 35-40 good vine leaves, plus a few torn ones
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, grated on the large holes of a grater
- 1 cup medium grain rice
- 3 large tomatoes, grated on the large holds of a grater so skins stay behind in your hand. Plus 1 extra for the topping
- 1/2 cup chopped italian parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
1. If using bought leaves, put them in a large bowl of cold water to soak for a few minutes. Drain, pat dry with paper towels, then stack in piles for later.
2. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in a large skillet with a lid and saute the onions over meidum heat until golden. Add the rice, stir until coated, then add the grated tomato, parsley, lemon juice and mint, and season well with salt and pepper. Put the lid on and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the rice has softened and plumped up and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for 5 minutes or so.
3. Use a few torn vine leaves to cover the bottom of a wide heavy bottomed pot. Lay a few whole vine leaves at a time on your work surface, shiny side down. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of filling, about 3/4 ounce, onto each leaf and roll it up neatly and quite snugly, tucking in the sides after the first roll and continuing to roll them. Put them in the pot in concentric circles, starting on the outside, and make a second layer if necessary. Grate (so that the skin stays behind in your hand) the remaining tomato over the top, pour in about 3 cups of hot water or enough to cover and drizzle in the remaining oil. Season with a little salt.
4. Put a snug fitting upturned plate over the top to keep the dolmades submerged. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the dolmades are tender and much of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let them rest for 10 mintues or so before serving.