Goat Cheese In Grape Leaves

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 16 grape leaves, packed in brine
• 1 crusty baguette
• 4 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 225 g good quality goat's cheese, cut into 8 slices
• 50 ml pesto sauce
• french baguette

Recipe

• 1 soak 8 wooden cocktail sticks in cold water for 1/2 hours rinse the vine leaves under cold running water, then soak in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. rinse again under running water and then repeat one more time. (the repeated rinsing, removes the saltiness of the brine).pat dry with kitchen paper towel.
• 2 to make the filling: dry-fry the pinenuts over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until they release their aroma and are a light golden brown. remove from the heat and keep aside.
• 3 lay the vine leaves out on a flat surface and place a slice of chevre in the centre of one. spread a little of the pesto on the top of the cheese then sprinkle with a few pine kernels.
• 4 fold the edges of the vine leaf over the filling and place another leaf on top. turn the parcel over and fold the ends into the centre in the same way. secure the outer flaps by threading a cocktail stick through the corners then brush the wraps with olive oil.
• 5 grill the parcels over the barbecue for 4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt and the leaves become a dark brown colour turning the parcels once halfway through grilling.
• 6 meanwhile, wrap the baguette in foil (or brush it with oil and place it directly on the cooking grate) and warm over direct high heat for 3 minutes, turning every minute.
• 7 to serve: open the parcels, discard the leaves and spread the melted cheese onto crusty baguettes, adding seasoning to taste.