STUFFED VINE LEAVES

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. vine leaves (leaves of black grapes are very tender)
• 1-1/2 cups rice
• 4 bunches of parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch of mint leaves finely chopped
• 2 bunches scallions finely chopped
• 1 lb tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 cup olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp allspice

Preparation:

• Soak the vine leaves in boiling hot water for a few minutes, drain.
• Mix the scallions, parsley, mint leaves, the lemon juice and olive oil with the rice and part of the diced tomatoes to make the stuffing of the vine leaves.
• Add salt and allspice.
• Let rest for an hour.
• Put a teaspoonful of the stuffing on the vine leave, without the water, wrap the leave tight.
• (First fold the 2 ends, then roll it.
• ) Continue with the rest of the leaves .
• Arrange tomato slices in the bottom of pan for the leaves not to stick.
• Then, arrange the leaves in a circle in the pan , continue till you get a second layer and so on.
• Pour the water left by the stuffing in the pan, cover with some water if necessary and put a china plate on the top as a weight, cover and cook on a low heat for 1 1/2 hour.
• Invert the pan on a serving plate. Serve hot. Or cold as an appetizer.