These small spring and summer appetizers carry an extremely gourmet philosophy
Dolmadakia could be categorized as finger food. Literally looking like fingers or cigars, they are very easy to eat, embracing dozens of flavors in just one bite. Only the best, top quality vegetables are used for their filling, giving it a sweet taste, opposed to the lemon acidity of the vine leaves. The fresh taste of the leaves can be highlighted using a few drops of lemon in the plate. They are served with yogurt, xygalo or tzatziki and best eaten cold, after a refreshing swim in some Greek sea!
Recipe
Filling: mix the vegetables and herbs in a bowl, together with 150 ml of Zakros Olive Oil Politeia extra virgin olive oil and add the rice. Stir and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors combine. Regardless of whether the vine leaves are fresh or in brine / frozen, dip them in hot water for 5 seconds, pull them out with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate, one on top of the other.
Execution: Spread the vine leaves in your hand, one by one, with the back side of the leaf (veins) looking upwards. Place a full teaspoon of the filling at the center of each leaf. Cover the filling with the right and left sides of the leaf, then roll the leaf from its bottom to its top, pushing the edges inwards, if they protrude, in a “cigar” shape.
In the meantime, place a layer of vine leaves on the bottom of the pot and then place the dolmadakia on it, carefully and in rounds, next to each other, side by side. After completing one layer, move on to the next, until the pot is full. Pour water over the dolmadakia until a little below their level (they should not to be completely covered) and add the remaining 50 ml of olive oil and a little salt. Place a plate on the dolmadakia, facing down. Start cooking on high and, as soon as the food starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid closed. The plate will help the dolmadakia stay firm and not unroll. Every 15’, check if the food has absorbed all its water and, only if necessary, add some extra. Switch off heat and let the food cool for 10 minutes. Serve either immediately or even some time after the food has cooled.
Optional: You can also peel a medium potato, empty its inside with a spoon, fill it up and place it upright among the dolmadakia, as you lay them on the bottom of the pot. The same can be done with a medium zucchini. It will add to the taste of the dolmadakia and draw the delicious fluids from the sour vine leaves. Oh, the lucky one who will eat it ;-)
Servings: 7
Time: 1h 30m
Difficulty:
Ingredients
- Vine leaves, if possible tender (young), fresh or in brine, 700 g
- Glazed rice 500g
- Zakros Olive Oil Politeia extra virgin olive oil 200ml
- 2 or 3 medium tomatoes grated
- 2 medium dry onions
- 4 green onions chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, grated or chopped
- 1 small zucchini grated
- 1 artichoke or eggplant grated
- 1 small carrot grated
- 1 small potato grated
- 1 bunch of parsley chopped
- 6 large spearmint leaves chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Oregano
