Name: Yoghurt baked in vine leaves with dill and parsley
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 kg Greek-style yoghurt; 120 gm white or yellow polenta; ¼ cup (loosely packed) chives, finely chopped; 1 cup (loosely packed) each dill, flat-leaf parsley and mint, coarsely chopped; 1 spring onion, finely chopped; Rind of 1 lemon, finely grated; 16 preserved vine leaves (see note); For brushing and drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil; To serve: olives, tomatoes and crusty bread,

Yoghurt baked in vine leaves with dill and parsley

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for yoghurt baked in vine leaves with dill and parsley.

Serves 8

Prep

15M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

1H 45M

This recipe is adapted from the yoghurt pie made by Stavros Abougelis at Stavros Tavern in Melbourne. It’s the perfect start to a meal of mezedes.

Ingredients

1 kg Greek-style yoghurt

120 gm white or yellow polenta

¼ cup (loosely packed) chives, finely chopped

1 cup (loosely packed) each dill, flat-leaf parsley and mint, coarsely chopped

1 spring onion, finely chopped

Rind of 1 lemon, finely grated

16 preserved vine leaves (see note)

For brushing and drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil

To serve: olives, tomatoes and crusty bread,

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 170C. Combine yoghurt, polenta, herbs, spring onion and lemon rind in a bowl and season generously.

2.Line a 21cm x 13cm oiled loaf tin with 12 vine leaves, then spoon in yoghurt mixture, cover with remaining vine leaves, fold edges over and brush with oil. Cover with foil, bake until set (1-1½ hours), cool slightly in pan, then turn out. Slice thickly and serve at room temperature, drizzled with oil, with olives, tomatoes and crusty bread.

Note Preserved vine leaves are available from select delicatessens. Remove the thick stems, then, if the leaves are heavily brined, rinse them under cold water and pat them dry with absorbent paper before using them.
Notes