Sarmale in foi de vita/Grape leaf rolls
 
Prep time
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I cooked these grape leaves rolls so many times but I never had time to make a picture. They were so good and never had some left to be able to post the recipe. Now I will present you my version, they are delicious, traditional Romanian, I know Turkish and Greeks are making these, ours are great too.
Author:
Recipe type: Meal
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients
  • grape leaves (young leaves)
  • 1 kg ground pork (or beef and pork mix)
  • 1 carrot
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a pinch of dry thyme
  • ⅓ cup white wine
  • 1 onion
  • ⅓ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice
  • oil to saute the onions
  • a bunch of fresh dill
Instructions
  1. Steam the grape leaves then strain them and remove the little stem.
  2. Braise the onion in 2-3 tbsp oil.
  3. Shred the carrot very thin.
  4. Mix the meat with all the spices, add carrot ad braised onion and then knead the meat by hand, pouring the wine little by little. The wine makes the meat softer and more tender.
  5. Add the rice too and then make the rolls inspiring you from the pictures above.
  6. Arrange the rolls in a pot and pour water over them just to be covered.
  7. Let them boil for few minutes on the stove then bake them in the oven until leafs are tender and meat is done. Pour the tomato sauce and season with salt the sauce and then bake them for another 15 minutes or so. When they are done, season with fresh dill.
  8. Serve them warm with sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Recipe by gabriela cuisine at http://gabrielacuisine.ro/sarmale-in-foi-de-vita/