Name: Yaprak Sarma (Olive Oil Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 16 Grape Leaves, rinsed and drained; ½ cup Rice, rinsed; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided; 1 Onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Tomato Puree, for the filling; 3 tbsp Parsley, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped; ½ tsp Dried Mint, for Turkish aroma; ½ tsp Sugar, to balance lemon and leaves; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, for the filling; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, divided; 1 cup Water, for simmering

Yaprak Sarma (Olive Oil Stuffed Grape Leaves)

1 hr 50 mintotal

1 hr 30 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 35 min · Cook 55 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Mild

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Method

Warm part of the olive oil in a pan. Add onion and cook until soft and sweet-smelling.
Add rice and tomato puree, then stir for a minute so the rice is coated.
Mix in parsley, mint leaves, dried mint, sugar, salt, black pepper, and part of the lemon juice. Let the filling cool slightly.
Lay one grape leaf shiny side down. Place a small spoon of filling near the stem end.
Fold the sides in and roll tightly, but leave a little room for the rice to expand.
Arrange the rolls seam side down in a pot. Add water, remaining olive oil, and remaining lemon juice.
Cover and cook on low heat until the rice is tender and the leaves are soft.
Rest before serving so the rolls firm up and absorb the olive oil-lemon flavor.

How to tell it's done

The rolls should hold their shape, the leaves should be tender, and the rice should be cooked but not mushy.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not overfill the leaves; rice expands while cooking and can split the rolls.

What to serve it with

Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges and a simple yogurt-free salad.

Substitutions

Use jarred grape leaves if fresh leaves are unavailable; rinse well to reduce excess salt.
Fresh mint can be used in the filling, but dried mint adds the more traditional aroma.
Short grain rice works well if available, but regular rice can be used for this catalog version.

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