✤15-25 grape leaves (fresh or jarred)
✤4 shallots, finely chopped (~180g)
✤3 tbsp olive oil, divided
✤1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
✤1 cup (~227g) fat-free plain Greek yogurt
✤2 ½ tbsp (~19g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
✤1/2 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
✤2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
✤3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
✤1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
✤1 lemon, zested
✤1 tbsp lemon juice
✤ salt & pepper, to taste
✤1/2 cup (80g) rice flour
✤3 tbsp breadcrumbs or panko
❖Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
❖Place the grape leaves in a shallow bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit for 10 min. Remove leaves from the water and dry well with a tea towel. Trim off and discard any bits of hard stalk at leaf base.
❖Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a small skillet and sauté the shallots about 8 min, or until light brown. Leave to cool down.
❖Take a round and shallow ovenproof dish (like a pie dish) that is roughly 8 in. diameter, and cover its bottom and sides with grape leaves, slightly overlapping them and allowing them to hang over the rim of the dish.
❖Mix the melted butter with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil; use about 2/3 of this mixture to generously brush the leaves lining the dish.
❖In a large bowl, mix together the shallots, yogurt, pine nuts, herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Then, add the rice flour and mix well until you get a homogeneous paste. Spread this evenly in the baking dish.
❖Fold the overhanging grape leaves back over the top of the filling, then cover filling completely with remaining grape leaves. Brush the top with the rest of the butter & oil mix, then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top.
❖Bake 40 min, or until leaves crisp up and breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Let rest 10 min before serving.
