Cabbage Rolls in Olive Oil

Stuffed rolls sit at the top of the Turkish olive oil repertoire. They take work, and that is exactly why they have their own place on the table — nobody makes these for a weeknight.

Served cold or at room temperature, never hot. That is the rule with olive oil dishes.

Makes about 30 rolls

Ingredients

1 medium head of cabbage
3 medium onions, finely diced
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup short-grain rice
2 tablespoons currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt

For cooking

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Prepare the leaves

Cut out the core of the cabbage. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and lower the whole head in, core side down.

As the outer leaves soften, lift them off one by one with tongs and set them aside. Two to three minutes per layer is usually enough. Taking them off as they loosen keeps them whole — pulling raw leaves apart tears them.

Drain the leaves and let them cool.

Make the filling

Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until soft and translucent.

Rinse the rice and drain it. Add it to the pan with the pine nuts and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the rice turns glassy at the edges.

Add the currants, allspice, black pepper, sugar and salt.

Pour in 1/2 cup of water and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until absorbed. The rice should be about half cooked — it finishes inside the rolls. Fully cooked rice here means mushy filling later.

Take off the heat and let it cool completely. Warm filling tears cold leaves.

Roll

Lay the cooled leaves flat and cut away the thick center rib. Cut large leaves into pieces roughly 4 inches square.

Place a spoonful of filling at the base of each piece, fold in the sides, and roll up.

Roll loosely. The rice swells as it cooks and tight rolls burst.

Cook

Line the bottom of a pot with any torn or leftover leaves — this protects the rolls from scorching.

Pack the rolls in tightly, seam side down, in layers.

Whisk together the remaining olive oil, 1 cup water and the lemon juice and pour it over.

Set a heatproof plate upside down on top of the rolls to hold them in place, cover the pot, and cook on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender.

Let them cool completely in the pot before lifting them out. They firm up as they cool and fall apart if you move them hot.

Serve cold or at room temperature, with lemon wedges and yogurt on the side if you like.