vine leaf roll — Turkey

Vine leaf rolls, known in Turkey as yaprak sarma or dolma, are grape leaves wrapped around a filling, most often rice cooked with onion, herbs and sometimes pine nuts and currants, though minced meat versions exist as well. The rolled leaves are simmered until tender and typically served at room temperature or cold, drizzled with olive oil and lemon. They are reported across Turkey as a meze staple, appearing at gatherings and on restaurant meze trays, as well as being a common home-cooked dish stored and eaten over several days. Related stuffed vine leaves are cooked throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans under similar names. Fresh or brined vine leaves are briefly softened, then a filling of rice, sautéed onion, pine nuts, currants and chopped dill and mint is prepared, seasoned with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice. A spoonful of filling is placed near the stem end of each leaf, the sides are folded in, and the leaf is rolled into a tight cylinder. The rolls are packed closely in a wide pot, weighed down with a small plate, covered with olive oil, water and lemon juice, and simmered gently until the leaves turn tender and the rice is fully cooked. Recipes differ in whether the filling includes meat, which makes the rolls a hot main dish rather than a cold meze item, and in the balance of sweet currants to tart lemon in the rice mixture. The size of the rolls also varies, from small, delicate ones served as an appetizer to larger ones eaten as part of a fuller meal.