Koupepia (Dolmades)

Ingredients

• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 500g pork mince
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 200g risotto rice
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 50 vine leaves, approx.
• 800ml chicken stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil and add the onions. Let the onions soften. While the onions are cooking, blanch the vine leaves in a large pan with some boiling water – leave for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the vine leaves in the water until you’re ready to use.
3. At this point, season the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper, then add in the pork mince. Stir and cook off until most of the liquid has evaporated.
4. While the meat is cooking, grate the tomatoes using a box grater. Save the leftover tomato skins for later. Once all the tomatoes are grated, stir in to the browned meat along with the tomato purée. Cook down until most of the liquid has reduced.
5. Remove from the heat, then stir in the rice, dried mint, cinnamon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
6. Before rolling the vine leaves, prepare a large pan with a little bit of olive oil and tomato purée on the base. To roll, place the leaf out in front of you textured side facing up with the stalk closest to you. Remove the stalk, then spoon a couple teaspoons of the rice and meat mixture towards the bottom of the leaf, roll up once, then tuck the sides in, and continue to roll until closed. Do this with all the leaves and filling. Layer the koupepia in the pan so that they are close together.
7. Heat the chicken stock until it is luke warm. Add a few teaspoons of tomato purée to the koupepia. Place the leftover tomato skins right on top of the koupepia, then pour over the chicken stock.
8. Cook covered in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, then cook for a further 15 minutes. Serve with natural yogurt!