the Near East. Sometimes meat,
pine nuts, and even currants are
mixed with the rice. Here is the
basic version:
For 3 dozen vine leaves you need
about 2 teacups of cooked rice
mixed with enough olive oil to
make it moist, a little chopped
fried onion, and a flavouring of
allspice and dried mint. Blanch the
vine leaves in boiling salted water.
Drain them. Lay them flat on a
board, outer side downwards. On
the inside of each leaf lay a
teaspoon of the rice, and then roll
the leaf tucking in the ends as for a
little parcel and squeeze this roll in