Vine leaf rolls with meat and rice

Ingredients for about 25 to 30 rolls:

30 fresh (or pickled) vine leaves; 250 g mixed minced meat, beef, pork, lamb; 100 g Originario or Arborio type rice; 1 finely chopped white onion; 1 clove of minced garlic (optional); 1 small bunch of chopped fresh parsley; 6-8 chopped fresh mint leaves; 1 teaspoon of tomato paste (optional); 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika; Juice of 1 lemon; Extra virgin olive oil to taste.b.; Salt and pepper to taste.

Proceedings

Preparing the leaves: Blanch them for 2-3 minutes in salted water, then drain and cool them in cold water. (If using pickled leaves, rinse them well under running water to remove the salt, then let them soak for 30 minutes and drain).

For the filling: In a frying pan, sauté chopped onion with a little oil until transparent. Add the rice And toast it for 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 200 ml water, cover, and cook over low heat for about 8-10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed (the rice will remain al dente).

Turn off the heat, add the minced meat, the parsley, mint, paprika, and if desired, a teaspoon of tomato paste. Add a drizzle of oil and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Mix well: the filling will finish cooking in the rolls, along with the leaves.

Form the rolls: Lay the leaves shiny side down. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the center. Fold in the sides and roll up (but not too tight: the rice will puff up a bit).

Cooking: Arrange the rolls in a casserole dish, tightly packed together. Cover with a plate or weight. Pour over the remaining lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and water until almost covered.

Cook covered, over low heat, for 40-45 minutes. Halfway through cooking, add more liquid if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature. They can be served with a yogurt and garlic sauce.

Wine pairing

(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Sicilia Nero d’Avola 2022 Morgante

Very intense ruby with light violet hues. Extremely varietal aromas of black cherry, blueberry, caper and sweet spices. Full and taut in the mouth, rich, warm with slight tannic note. Balanced and juicy finish.

Production area: Grotte, a small town in the province of Agrigento, about 21 kilometers from the sea and the Valley of the Temples. Nero d’Avola vineyards are on medium-textured calcareous clay soils at about 450-550 meters above sea level. The climate is Mediterranean, characterized by temperature differences of about 10-15°C between day and night.

Grape varieties: 100% Nero d’Avola.

Climate trend 2022: Dry and very cold winter, with morning frosts until early April. Spring was mild with some light rain. The entire month of May was excessively hot, with rain at the beginning and end of the month. Summer has been hot with temperatures between 38° and 40°C. Due to the absence of humidity and the dry harvest, grape ripening was optimal and rich, resulting in fruity and balanced wines.

Harvest: In the first half of September.

Production processes: Vinification in stainless steel tanks with maceration on the skins for about 15 days at a controlled temperature of 25-28°C. Malolactic fermentation carried out entirely in stainless steel tanks. Brief aging in second-passage French Allier and Troncaise oak barrels, followed by bottle aging for a few months.

Alcohol content: 14.50% Vol.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Recommended pairings: For quality meats, cured meats medium-aged cheeses. Also try with intensely flavored fish, served at 14°C.