Zucchini Flower Filling - Kabak Çiçeği Dolması

This dish is especially popular in the Aegean region and favored by a kitchen culture that is based on olive oil. The olive oil fillings (dolma) are common in vegeterian and sea food tables and this entrees can be served as meze with alcoholic beverages, especially raki.

Ingredients

Fresh zucchini flowers

Onion

Olive oil

Pine nuts

Rice

Tomato

Salt and sugar

Water

Raisins

Parsley and Dill

Cinnamon, mint, allspice and pepper

Peel,wash and mince five medium size onions. Put the minced onions in apan with 2 spoonful of pinenuts and a glass of olive oil. Close the lid and let the onions turn yellow and fried. Wash and dry a large glass of rice and add it to the pan. Wash, grate and add 2 tomatos with a spoonful of salt, sugar and a glass of water to the pan. Stir all and add 2 spoonful of raisins on top. Starting with moderate and then low heat, let the ingredients cook for 10-15 minutes until the water boils down. Aside, trim, wash and mince a bunch of dill and parsley. Together with one spoonful of spices ( cinnamon, dried mint, black pepper and allspice) add the minced parsley and dill to the pilaf. Let it mature for 10 minutes. Wash carefully the zucchini flowers that are picked freshly in the morning. Fill the flowers with the pilaf with a teaspoon carefully. Lay the fillings into a wide and shallow pan and add a glass and a half warm water onto them. Cook for 30 minutes at moderate heat. Bon appetit.