Romanian recipe
How to make Sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls)
sarmale
All over Romania
Sour pickled cabbage leaves (or vine leaves) rolled around minced pork, rice and onion and simmered for hours, often with smoked meat. They are served with mămăligă and sour cream and are often called the national dish.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of pickled (sour) cabbage, or about 20 blanched fresh cabbage leaves
- 750 g minced pork (or half pork, half beef)
- 100 g short-grain rice, rinsed
- 2 onions, finely chopped, and 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 400 ml passata
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt and black pepper
- 150 g smoked bacon, diced, and a few bay leaves
- Sour cream and mămăligă (or bread) to serve
Method
- Fry the onions gently in the oil until soft. Mix them with the pork, rice, tomato paste, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Separate the cabbage leaves and cut out the thick stem. Put a heaped spoonful of filling on each leaf, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
- Chop the leftover cabbage and spread half of it in a large heavy pot. Pack the rolls in snugly, scattering the bacon and bay leaves between the layers, and cover with the rest of the chopped cabbage.
- Pour over the passata and enough water to just cover. Cover with a lid and simmer very gently for about 3 hours, or bake at 160°C, until the cabbage is soft.
- Serve hot with a spoonful of sour cream and mămăligă.
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In Transylvania, smoked pig feet or pork skin are tucked into the pot between the rolls for extra flavour.
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