Stuffed hazelnut leaves

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 15 leaves (hazelnut leaves), young, velvety
• 130 g risotto rice or rice pudding
• 1 spring onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 1 tbsp white wine
• ½ tsp sea salt
• oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

vegan, antipasti, finger food

Very important: Pick the hazelnut leaves from May to June, only the fresh, light green leaves which feel soft and velvety. The older leaves are harder and leathery and feel unusable for this dish. Cut the leek into fine rings and peel and finely dice the garlic. Heat the oil in a pan, add the salt, leek rings and diced garlic and sauté briefly. Add the rice to the pan, mix well and add just enough water to cover the rice. Stir until the water is absorbed or evaporated. Then add more water until the rice is covered again and stir again. Repeat this process until the rice is nice and sticky but still has a little bite. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the white wine and let everything cool down. Briefly rinse the hazelnut leaves and cut off the stems at the base. Bring water to a boil in a pot and add one leaf at a time to the boiling water. Remove, place on a paper towel, and dry. Place the leaf upside down on a board. Using a teaspoon, add some of the rice to the leaf. Fold the right and left sides of the leaf over the rice and roll it up lengthwise. Fill all the leaves this way. Heat oil in a pan and carefully fry the rice parcels on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Hazelnut leaves taste finer and softer than vine leaves, in my opinion. This recipe is just a basic one; you can refine the rice to your liking or adapt it with herbs, spices, mushrooms, or whatever you like. If you have any leftovers, you can marinate them in oil to preserve them for a while.