Romania / Main
Sarmale
Cabbage rolls in soured leaves with pork and rice, braised three hours under a layer of shredded cabbage.
Ingredients
- Whole soured cabbage1
- Minced pork800 g
- Short-grain rice, uncooked150 g
- Onions3
- Smoked ribs300 g
- Tomato paste3 tbsp
- Savory and thyme2 tsp
- Bay leaves3
- Neutral oil60 ml
- Soured cream and polentato taste
- Salt and pepperto taste
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 6 steps
Take the cabbage apart into leaves and pare down the thick ribs. Rinse leaves that are too sour; soak overly salty ones for twenty minutes.
Fry the finely chopped onion in the oil until soft, add the tomato paste and cook two minutes. Cool it completely.
Mix the pork with the rice, the cooled onion, savory, salt and pepper.
Put a tablespoon of filling on each leaf, roll it up and tuck the ends in with a finger. The rolls should come out small, about two fingers wide.
Line the pot with shredded cabbage and the ribs, pack the rolls in tight layers with bay between them, and cover with the remaining cabbage and leaves.
Add water to the level of the top layer and cook three hours on the lowest heat or at 150 °C in the oven.
