Tender grape leaves wrapped around a fragrant filling of rice, currants, pine nuts, and fresh herbs, braised in olive oil and lemon juice until silky.
Ingredients
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40 grape leaves (jarred or fresh, blanched)
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200g short-grain rice, soaked and drained
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1 large onion, finely diced
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3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
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2 tbsp dried currants
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Large bunch fresh dill, chopped
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Large bunch fresh mint, chopped
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100ml extra-virgin olive oil
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Juice of 2 lemons
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1 tsp allspice
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1 tsp cinnamon
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Salt and black pepper
Instructions
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1
Sauté diced onion in half the olive oil until translucent, then add pine nuts and currants, cooking two minutes more gently.
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2
Stir in soaked rice, allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper, chopped dill, and mint, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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3
Place a grape leaf shiny-side down, add a teaspoon of filling near the stem end, fold sides inward and roll tightly forward.
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4
Line the bottom of a pot with torn or damaged grape leaves, then pack rolled sarma tightly in concentric circles in layers.
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5
Mix remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and one cup of hot water, pour over the rolls, and place a plate on top as weight.
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6
Cover and simmer on very low heat for fifty minutes until the rice is tender and the leaves are silky and completely yielding.
Did You Know?
In Ottoman times, the quality of a potential bride was judged by how small and tight she could roll her sarma — the smaller the better.