Recipes from
Campania

Limoni cotti al forno
Oven baked lemons

• 2 LEMONS, sliced
• 200 GRAM MOZZARELLA
• 1 TOMATO, chopped
• 1 RED CHILI PEPPER, chopped
• 5 SARDINES, halved
• SOME BASIL LEAVES, chopped
• 10 LEMON LEAVES

• 1 POT WINE LEAVES
• 1 ONION, chopped
• 2 CLOVES GARLIC, chopped
• 200 GRAM MINCED BEEF
• 4 TBSP TOMATO PUREE
• 1/2 TSP CUMIN
• JUICE OF 1 LEMON
• 100 GRAM RICE, cooked

Take the lemon flesh out of the lemons, leaving you with empty circles. Put the lemon leaves on a baking tray with a lemon slice on top of each. Put a thin slice of mozzarella in the lemon, and sprinkle with tomato, basil and chili pepper. Put a sardine on top and close with a second slice of mozzarella. Bake 15 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.

This recipe originates from the Amalfi coast in the province Palermo, in the Campania region of Italy, where you will find an abundance of citrus trees.

This recipe was inspired by the book "Jamie's Italy" from the famous cook-writer Jamie Olivier.

Stir fry the onion and garlic 3 minutes, add the minced beef and stir fry 5 minutes more. Add cumin, rice and 2 tablespoons tomato puree and salt and pepper to taste and mix this well. Make little heaps and put a heap on each vine leave; roll them up. Mix the remaining tomato puree with the lemon juice and 1 cup of water, bring to the boil and simmer the rolls 15 minutes.

Stuffed wine leaves are popular in many countries under similar or different names. In Greece and on Cyprus they are called dolmadakia, in Georgia Tolma and in Egypt and Lebanon warak einab. They are sold ready made as well. You can stuff them with rice, meat or a combination of both.