Olive Oil Grape Leaf Sarma (Zeytinyağlı Yaprak Sarması)

In a pot, sauté 4 finely diced onions and 1 packet of pine nuts in 1/2 water glass (about 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) of vegetable oil. Add 2.5 water glasses of rice and sauté again. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Add 1/2 packet of currants that have been rinsed and soaked in water, along with 1 water glass of water. Reduce the heat and cook until the water is absorbed. Chop 1/2 bunch of parsley over the top. Add 1 dessert spoon of dried mint and 1 heaped dessert spoon of salt, then mix everything together. Place some of the filling at the base of each of the 250 g of boiled fresh grape leaves and roll them up tightly like a pencil. Arrange the rolled sarma in a pot. Add water until it just covers them and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the cooking water. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat. Cook until the water is absorbed. If you like, you can squeeze half a lemon into the water, or serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

About This Recipe

Olive oil — the oil extracted from this miraculous fruit — first lit up our nights, then our souls. It beautified our hair and skin, cleansed and strengthened our bodies. And ultimately, it became the crown jewel of our modern kitchen. The olive tree produces more oil to protect itself from the sun. Therefore, olives grown in regions with more sunlight yield more oil — which means more flavorful olives.

The quality of the packaging directly affects the quality of the olive oil. Packaging is one of the most important things to pay attention to when buying olive oil. Never buy olive oil in plastic packaging — under any circumstances. A special chemical compound found in olive oil interacts with dioxin, a carcinogen found in plastic, causing the toxic substance to leach into the oil. The best olive oil packaging is an airtight, dark-colored glass bottle or a tin can — remember that.

The tea made from the leaves of the olive tree is just as healing as the fruit itself. This tea has antibiotic properties. It strengthens the immune system. It is good for the common cold. It lowers blood pressure. It balances blood sugar and reduces cholesterol.

Today we decided to prepare one of our all-time favorites — Olive Oil Grape Leaf Sarma (Zeytinyağlı Yaprak Sarması). You should definitely also try our Sour Cherry Grape Leaf Sarma recipe sometime. Bon appétit!