Grape leaves fattah are a classic of Middle Eastern cuisine. Often served hot as a main course, it is paired with a bowl of plain yogurt for dipping or a refreshing salad on the side. This recipe adds a contemporary twist to the dish by including za’atar in the filling, which gives the grape leaves a delicious herbaceous flavor that enhances the savory meat and rice.
To make the seasoned filling, saute onion in oil until it becomes translucent. Add the mint, parsley and cilantro and mix well. Then add the uncooked rice and salt to taste. The rice should not be cooked all the way through at this point because it will be steamed inside the grape leaves.
The next step is to blanch the leaves. This can be done in a pot of boiling water or in a steamer. Blanching the leaves softens them so that they are more pliable and will roll better. While doing this, it is also a good time to remove the thick stem from the leaf. This makes it easier to wrap the leaf and will give it a cleaner appearance.
When the leaves are ready to be stuffed, lay out four leaves at a time on a cutting board. A heaping teaspoon of the seasoned filling is placed in the center of each leaf. The leaf is then rolled tightly around the filling. Be careful not to overstuff the leaf or it will unravel during cooking. فتة ورق عنب الرياض