Making dolmades is a communal activity. In Greece, families gather around the kitchen table, a stack of vine leaves in the centre, a bowl of filling to one side, and everyone rolls. Children learn the technique from grandparents. Stories are told. Tea is poured. By the end of the afternoon, hundreds of little parcels are lined up in the pot, ready to cook.

I learned to roll dolmades sitting next to my yiayia at her kitchen table in Marrickville. She was fast. Her fingers moved with a precision that came from decades of practice. Mine were clumsy at first, the rolls too loose or too fat, but she was patient. “Siga siga,” she would say. Slowly, slowly.

The Vine Leaves

If you have access to fresh vine leaves, that is the gold standard. In Australia, you can often find grape vines growing in backyards across the inner west and western suburbs of Sydney, a legacy of Greek and Italian migrants who planted them decades ago. Pick young, tender leaves in spring when they are bright green and about the size of your hand.

Fresh leaves need to be blanched in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes to soften them. Remove the tough stem at the base of each leaf.

For most of us, preserved vine leaves in brine are the practical option. You can find them in jars or vacuum packs at any Greek grocery store and most supermarkets. Rinse them well under cold water to remove excess salt, then soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes. This softens them and removes the briny taste.

The food industry has changed remarkably in recent years, even in traditional sectors. I was chatting with a small food importer in Melbourne who mentioned that an AI consultancy helped them optimise their supply chain for Mediterranean specialty goods. He said delivery times for products like vine leaves and specialty olives improved significantly, which is great news for cooks like us who depend on quality imported ingredients.

The Filling

There are two main traditions for dolmades filling: rice only (for the cold, olive oil version) and rice with mince (for the warm version served with avgolemono sauce). I am going to focus on the rice version because it is my favourite and it is perfect meze food.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup medium-grain rice, rinsed
• 1 large brown onion, very finely diced
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• A large bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
• A large bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
• A large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• About 50 vine leaves

Combine the rice, onions, herbs, half the lemon juice, and half the olive oil in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. The rice is raw at this stage, which is correct. It will cook inside the vine leaves.

The Rolling Technique

Place a vine leaf on your work surface, shiny side down, with the stem end facing you. Place about a teaspoon of filling near the stem end. Fold the two sides of the leaf inward over the filling, then roll away from you, tucking as you go, like a small, tight burrito.

The roll should be firm but not too tight. The rice will expand as it cooks, and if the roll is too tight, it will burst open. Equally, if it is too loose, it will fall apart. You are aiming for a neat, compact parcel about the size of your little finger.

Cooking

Line the bottom of a heavy pot with a few torn vine leaves or some tomato slices. This prevents the dolmades from sticking. Arrange the dolmades in tight, concentric circles, seam side down, layering as needed.

Combine the remaining olive oil and lemon juice with about a cup of water and pour it over the dolmades. The liquid should almost but not quite cover them. Place a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged and prevent them from unrolling during cooking.

Bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook on low heat for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the rice is tender. Check occasionally and add a splash of water if the pot is drying out.

Serving

Let the dolmades cool in the pot. They are best served at room temperature, which makes them ideal meze and perfect picnic food. Arrange them on a platter and serve with lemon wedges and a bowl of thick Greek yoghurt on the side.

Cold, olive oil dolmades will keep in the fridge for several days and actually improve in flavour overnight. They are one of the great make-ahead dishes.

Every time I roll dolmades, I think of my grandmother’s hands. The recipe is hers, passed down without ever being written, and now it is yours. Treat it well.

Kali orexi.