Yiaprakia (Stuffed Vine-Leaf Rolls)
INGREDIENTS:
(for 80 pieces)
For the yiaprakia:
80 vine leaves
3 cups Carolina rice
6 onions, finely-chopped
1 clove garlic, finely-chopped
2 cups olive oil
½ bunch parsley, finely-chopped
¼ bunch spearmint, finely-chopped
½ bunch fennel, finely-chopped
1 grated tomato
½ litre water
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt
Pepper
For the rest of the dish:
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
Stalks of parsley
5-6 vine leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the yiaprakia:
Heat the 1 cup of olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes, so that they wither.
Add the rice.
Stir until glazy, and remove from the burner.
Add the herbs and mix everything together.
Wash the vine leaves and immerse them in boiled, salted water for 5 minutes.
Place 1 tsp filling on each vine leaf, and roll and fold into dolmadakia.
Lay 5-6 vine leaves on the bottom of a pot, along with the onion, carrot and the stalks.
Put the yiaprakia in the pot, the one next to the other.
Add the tomato, water, a bit of salt and pepper, and the lemon juice.
Reduce the heat as soon as it begins to boil, and let cook for 40 minutes.
Serve hot or cold, as is or with yoghurt.