Koupépia: Cypriot stuffed vine leaves
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
- 350 g vine leaves in brine rounded
- 500 g minced pork rounded
- 220 g short-grain rice, rinsed rounded
- 250 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 350 g tomatoes, grated rounded
- 30 g parsley rounded
- 15 g dried mint rounded
- 3 g ground cinnamon rounded
- 8 g fine salt rounded
- 60 ml olive oil rounded
- 60 ml lemon juice rounded
- 500 ml water or light stock rounded
Method
Method
- Rinse vine leaves, blanch for 2 minutes, drain, and trim tough stems. Line a wide pot with torn leaves.
- Mix pork, rice, onion, half the tomato, parsley, mint, cinnamon, 30 ml oil, 30 ml lemon, and 8 g salt.
- Place a small spoonful near each leaf base, fold sides inward, and roll loosely enough for rice to expand. Pack seam-side down in tight layers.
- Add remaining tomato, oil, lemon, and water. Weight with an inverted plate, cover, and simmer very gently for 65 to 75 minutes.
- Rest covered for 20 minutes before lifting out. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not overfill or roll tightly; the rice needs room to expand.
- Vegan route: omit pork, increase rice to 320 g, add 200 g finely chopped mushrooms and 60 g toasted pine nuts, and use vegetable stock.