Recipe - Koupepia Stuffed Vine Leaves Cypriot

20 Vine leaves (or
Alternatively, Savoy cabbage
Leaves)
2 ounce Long grain rice
1 Onion, chopped
2 tablespoon Olive oil
4 ounce Minced lean lamb
2 tablespoon Tomato puree
2 tablespoon Chopped parsley
One half Glass/100ml water or light
Stock
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoon Olive oil and
The juice of 1 lemon for
Cooking

For packet vine leaves, soak in boiling water for about half an hour, then
refresh in cold water for 5 minutes. With fresh vine leaves, plunge them
into boiling water for about one minute, then straight into cold water.

Snip off the stalk and spread the leaves ready to fill.

For the filling: fry onion in the oil until it begins to colour Add the
rice and lamb and stirfry for about 3 minutes until the rice has turned
transparent and the meat has lost its redness.

Add the tomato puree, parsley, seasoning and enough liquid to moisten.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and leave to cool.

Put a teaspoonful of the Filling into the centre of each vine leaf. Fold
the base of the leaf over the filling then fold in the sides. Now roll up
just like a cigar.

Cover the base of a saucepan, casserole or microwave dish with spare vine
leaves. Place the koupepia carefully on top and cover the whole lot with
more vine leaves. Pour over the oil and lemon juice and cook gently for
about half an hour. Press a saucer down on top of the koupepia if cooking
in a saucepan, it will stop them breaking up.

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