Dolmadakia Yialantzi Politika (Ντολμαδάκια Γιαλαντζί Πολίτικα)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •wide heavy pot, 28cm
• •heatproof plate that fits inside the pot
• •fine sieve for rinsing rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the leaves

   Rinse the preserved vine leaves well, then taste one. If it is very salty or sharp from the jar, soak the leaves in warm water for 10 minutes and drain. Set aside any torn leaves; they will line the pot, and nothing is wasted.

2. 2

   Soften the onions

   Warm 60ml of the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the yellow onions and spring onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and sweet but not browned. Add the pine nuts and cook 2 minutes more, just until they smell warm.

3. 3

   Start the filling

   Stir in the rice and let it turn glossy in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the currants, dill, parsley, mint, salt, pepper, allspice, half the lemon juice, and 120ml hot water. Cook for 5 minutes, until the rice has only begun to swell. It must stay half-cooked, because it finishes inside the leaf.

4. 4

   Roll the dolmadakia

   Lay one vine leaf shiny side down, stem end facing you. Pinch off the hard stem if it remains. Place 1 level teaspoon of filling near the base, fold the sides in, and roll forward into a neat little cylinder. Roll firmly, not tightly. The rice needs room to swell, and this is the one method that decides the dish: too loose and they open, too tight and the rice turns hard inside.

5. 5

   Pack the pot

   Line the bottom of a wide heavy pot with the torn vine leaves and a few lemon slices. Arrange the dolmadakia seam side down in tight circles, touching each other so they cannot move. Make a second layer if needed, but keep the layers even.

6. 6

   Simmer gently

   Pour over the remaining 60ml olive oil, the remaining lemon juice, and 240ml hot water. Set a heatproof plate directly on top of the dolmadakia to hold them down. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and the leaves have softened.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for 30 minutes. Then remove the plate and let the dolmadakia cool to warm room temperature in their juices. Serve with a little oil from the pot, lemon wedges, and, if you like, strained yogurt on the side, though the fasting table needs nothing more.

Chef Tips

• •Use good vine leaves before you worry about cleverness. Jarred leaves are fine if they smell clean and grassy, not metallic or harsh. If you can get young fresh leaves in late spring, blanch them briefly until pliable, then use them the same way.
• •Do not pack the filling by the tablespoon. Dolmadakia are small for a reason. A teaspoon looks stingy on the leaf, then the rice swells and proves it was enough.
• •These are better after a rest. Make them in the morning for the evening table, or the day before. Serve cool or at room temperature, never fridge-cold, because cold olive oil goes dull.

Advance Preparation

• •The dolmadakia can be cooked 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator in their pot juices.
• •Bring them to room temperature for 45 minutes before serving, then finish with a little fresh lemon and olive oil.
• •The filling can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead and chilled, but roll the leaves the day you cook them so they stay supple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)