Grape leaves, mashed potatoes and a Greek Almond Cake

Tonight for dinner I made a Greek inspired menu: Grape leaves, stuffed with rice and lamb seasoned with cinnamon, mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce from the grape leaves, simple buttered green beans and a wonderful cake called Amygdalopita with ground almonds and semolina soaked with a spiced simple syrup.

Grape Leaves

• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup rice
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper
• grape leaves
• 1 can tomato sauce
• juice from 1 lemon

Make rice - combine rice and water, bring to a boil reduce heat cover tightly and simmer 20 mins. Brown beef and lamb in a cast iron skillet, drain fat, add cinnamon and salt and pepper. Add rice. Set aside to cool. Blanch grape leaves (I separate the leaves and lay them in a large casserole pan and pour boiling water over to cover and let sit for 10 mins) Lay individual leaves on a work surface, place one tsp - 1 Tbs filling, depending on size of leaf, on base of leaf fold sides over filling and roll up tightly. Placed filled leaves seam side down in a large dutch oven. Pour 1 can tomato sauce over, pour 1 can water over pour in juice from one lemon, weigh down the top with a heavy dish and bring to a boil lower heat and simmer 45 mins

Make mashed potatoes, make green beans.

For cake see my youtube channel