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stuffed grape leaves question--Nyleve!

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Just a couple more questions (really, I promise!).

1. I assume that if I'm making 50 or 60 dolmas and putting them in the bottom of a pot, then they're supposed to be layered on top of one another? I can't imagine the area of my stockpot bottom is adequate for 50-60 dolmas in a single layer...

2. The recipe calls for 2 cups water. Is that an approximation or really what I need? I just I'm wondering whether the amount of water necessary is dependant on the volume of the pan you're cooking them in (e.g. do they need to be submerged in water, or none of them submerged in water, just steamed?).

Alright, thanks for any help available. I know I'm being really needy about this recipe. I've just never made these before, or anything like them, so I've got very little intuition to fall back on.

I promise to post details (perhaps even pictures, if I can figure out how!) showing off my efforts.


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  1. I'm starting to feel a lot of pressure that these dolmas be the very best dolmas EVER. Please don't let me down on this, Smokey. I'll be devastated and may never cook again.

    Having said that:

    1. Just arrange them close rows neatly on the bottom of a large pan. Agreed, in an ideal world it would be a single layer. But a couple of layers works fine - I'm sure I always end up with a couple of layers. You won't be stirring them or anything while they cook.

    2. Yes, 2 cups is pretty much all the water you'll need. They mostly steam rather than boil and the dolmas don't have to be submerged. You'll cook tightly covered over very low heat so it should be fine. However, if you really think that you need more water, go ahead and add it - just enough to keep the dolmas nicely moist. When most of the liquid has been absorbed at the end of the cooking time, remove the pan from heat so that they don't dry out completely and stick to the pan. Any remaining liquid will disappear into the dolmas.

    Don't worry - they'll be fine (gulp, I hope) and yes please let me know how it turns out.

    1 Reply
    1. re: Nyleve

      Sometimes instead of water, I use V8 Juice which gives a nice tomato flavor. I also arrange some grape leave stems on the bottom of the pan, and lay the rolled leaves on them.

    2. Okay, all these instructions are making me feel that I could do this, if I could find the whole recipe!!!

      I've scrolled down, and searched the board by "dolmas", "Grape", "leaves" and "Nyleve", and I couldn't find the original post....Could someone please help? Was it buried in another thread?

      Link: http://www.bistrodraw.com

      6 Replies
        1. re: smokey

          Ah, I shoulda known! It does look great, mor like the Armenian style meatless ones I get at my favorite market.. I'll definitely ty it for a picnic soon......Nyleve, have you ever done them with white rice?

          Link: http://www.bistrodraw.com

          1. re: galleygirl

            Yep - done it with white rice too but I have to say I like the brown better (and I'm a white-rice-person in general). Brown seems to stand up to the lengthy cooking better than white. If you use white, though, I'd suggest a short grain rather than basmati.

            1. re: Nyleve

              Have you ever tried freezing them, and then steaming later? I suspect the grape leaves would fall apart, but maybe not...

              1. re: Blackbird

                If you want to freeze them, cook them first. Then, after thawing re-steam them for just a few minutes to take that frozen edge off. Cool to room temp - good as new. I have a friend who made hundreds of these (actually this is her recipe) for a huge party over a period of months. Froze them all - they were delicious.