Vine Leaf Rolls

Preparation:

Preparation: Put the vine leaves in fresh water for about 20 minutes, discarding those with small cuts or tears. Drain and dry them with a cloth, remove the stems and place them on a well-aligned shelf. Put 4 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and let the onions soften, add the pine nuts and sultanas and leave to brown for 2 minutes. Add the rice, the fireplace, the parsley, the fennel stalks, salt and pepper and leave to infuse, stirring well, for 5 minutes. Add a cup of water and cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Place a spoonful of this mixture on each vine leaf and form rolls by folding the 2 ends like a package so that the filling does not come out. If you wish, for greater safety you can tie them crosswise with a thin thread. Put a piece of greaseproof paper on the bottom of the saucepan, pour in the remaining oil and water and arrange the dolmades on top in a single layer, well aligned, but not too close to each other. The oil and water should have a level of about 2 cm. Put the saucepan on the heat, bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook over moderate heat for about 45 minutes. If you use canned vine leaves it will first be necessary to put them in cold water for 12 hours, then drain them well and dry them and then proceed as indicated above.