STUFFED VINE LEAVES WITH GROUND MEAT

Ingredients:

• 30 vine leaves
• 1 coffee cup raw rice
• 1 medium onion
• 1 teacup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons anise, well chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, minced
• 1 ½ coffee cup hot water
• 1 lemon
• Salt - Pepper

Method

Soak the rice in water for 5 minutes. Strain well and mix it with the onion, garlic, anise, salt and pepper. Rinse the vine leaves in cold water; if the vine leaves are fresh, blanch them for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing near the bottom of each vine leaf. Fold the bottom and 2 sides to cover the filling and roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf, leaving room for the rice to expand by 2-3 times as it cooks. Arrange stuffed vine leaves in a casserole, close one next to the other and cover completely with a plate (so they do not open up during cooking). Add hot water and simmer for 20-30 minutes, adding some more hot water if necessary. Remove from heat, leave to cool and place on a platter. Garnish with lemon slices or lemon fillets and serve.


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