Ingredients 1 (with meat)

• 1/2 kg of grape vine (and/or mulberry) leaves
• 500g of minced lamb or beef (with 20% fat)
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1 onion
• 1/4 cup of parsley
• 1/4 cup of dill
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper, 1/4 tsp of cumin
• 1/4 tsp of paprika
• 1/4 tsp of allspice
• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp of sumac
• 1 or 2 lemon (optional, sliced)
• 5 cups of boiling water (or 1 cup of boiling water and 2 cups of fresh tomato sauce).

Ingredients 2 (no meat, with olive oil)

• 1/2 kg of grape vine (and/or mulberry) leaves
• 7 large onions
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 2 cups of coarse bulgur
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 3 tbsp of currants
• 1/4 cup of pinenuts
• 1/4 cup of parsley
• 1/4 cup of dill
• 1 tbs of mint
• 1 tbs of basil
• 2 tsp of paprika
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 2 tsp of salt
• Pomegranate molasses and lemon juice (optional)
• 5 cups of boiling water (or 1 cup of boiling water and 2 cups of fresh tomato sauce).

Preparation and Cooking

• After cleaning the leaves, blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and pat them dry and trim the stems (if not removed previously).
• When using any of the ingredient options mentioned above, pre-cooking some of the ingredients is necessary. First, finely chop the onions, then in a pot, sauté the minced meat (if using) and chopped onion in olive oil until they turn golden. Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add rice (or bulgur) and a sufficient amount of water to cover the mixture, and gently cook until softened. Alternatively, rice or bulgur can be soaked in water about an hour and mix directly without halfcook. Just before removing from heat, add spices, herbs, salt, and nuts (if using).
• Place a leaf on a clean surface with the shiny side down and the stem side facing you, and put about 1-2 tsp of filling in the center of the leaf but near the stem edge.
• Fold the stem end of the leaf over the filling, followed by the left and right sides of the leaf. Finally, roll the leaf away from you, forming a tight cylindrical parcel.
• Line the bottom of a clay pot (with a lid) with extra vine leaves or a few slices of lemon. Place the rolled leaf seam-side down in the pot, arranging them snugly in a single layer and more, and if preferred separated by leaves (and/or lemon slices).
• Pour a mixture of water (or fresh tomato sauce) and olive oil over the pot, just enough to cover wrapped-leaves, and place one or two layers of leaves and/or a heatproof plate on top to keep them from unraveling during cooking. Then close the lid and place it inside the wood fired oven in Area C,E or H.
• Although cooking duration varies primarily based on the tenderness of leaves, it is advised to cook wrapped leaves at a lower temperature (100-150°C) for a longer period (1-2 hours) to achieve the perfect outcome.
• Allow the wrapped-leaves to cool in the clay pot, and then transfer to a serving platter and serve with a yogurt sauce.

Hints and Comments

• Although the taste of any leave can be subjective, the following general descriptions can be used in their selection:
  • Young grape vine leaves have a mildly tart, tangy and slightly sweet flavour, and are more tender and less bitter than mature (and pickled) vine leaves.
  • Young mulberry leaves have a mild, grassy and much sweeter taste with a hint of bitterness. As they mature, their flavour becomes somewhat astringent.
  • Young cherry leaves have a subtle, aromatic flavour with notes of cherry and almond. They are less bitter than mature leaves.
• Based on personal preference, the wrapped leaves can be cooked in a moderate amount of water or in a fresh tomato sauce with garlic and/or fresh lemon slices.
• As stated above, as a general rule, place a layer of leaves at the bottom of the cooking utensil and additional leaves on top of the wrapped leaves, along with a weight to prevent unwrapping.
• Ideally, the size of vine leaves should be as large as an average palm, but smaller leaves can also be used by overlapping two of them together.
• In olive oil-based wrapped (and stuffed) dishes, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice are commonly used, whereas in meat-filled dishes, sumac or sumac juice add a pleasant flavour. However, it is important to adjust the amount properly.
• Note that if not accessible or out of season, pickled vine leaves can also used to make this dish. However, it is recommended to soak the leaves in cold water overnight to remove the excessive salt content.

• As the most popular dish in a number of countries, grape leaves are commonly used in two ways all year around. Note that below methods also apply to other leaves.

Fresh

• After fresh leaves are plucked from the vine, they are washed thoroughly in bunches under plenty of water then drained.
• They are added to boiling water in a pot for 10-20 seconds (longer if the leaves are not young or fresh) and immediately placed under cold running water, and drained. They are now ready for wrapping.

Pickled

• Pickled (brined) leaves are washed thoroughly under plenty of water until they are free of their salt. Then they should be soaked in cold water overnight for get rid of the salt.
• They are boiled for 2-4 min then drained and ready for wrapping.