- Sauté onions in 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
- Add rice, cover saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add dill, 1 1/2 cups hot water, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and currants.
- Simmer for 5 minutes; cool.
- Rinse leaves in cold water.
- Place leaf, shiny side down, on a flat surface.
- Put a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each leaf.
- Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then the sides, and roll it up.
- (Do not roll too tightly as the rice will expand).
- Cover the bottom of a shallow saucepan with grapevine leaves and place dolmathakia, side by side, in layers.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups hot water.
- Place a heatproof plate over the dolmathakia to prevent them from opening.
- Cover saucepan and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool in the saucepan.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature with Tzajiki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce).
Makes about 60 stuffed grapevine leaves.
Tzajiki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
- Place cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze out excess water.
- Drain yogurt in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for about 1 hour; discard liquid.
- Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
Note: This sauce is also served with fried fish, fried aubergines (eggplant), zucchini and souvlakia (grilled lamb on skewers).
