‘Sarmale’ – Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

'Sarmale,' or stuffed cabbage rolls, is a delicacy that appears frequently in the cuisines of several Eastern European countries. They're known as'sarmi' in Bulgarian cuisine. 'Holubtsi' is a Ukrainian dish. 'Golabki' is a Polish dish. Macedonian cuisine, Serbian cuisine, Croatian cuisine, Lithuanian cuisine, Russian cuisine, Romanian cuisine, and other cuisines use them. These Moldovan filled cabbage rolls are a must-have for any holiday or party in Moldova. These are cabbage rolls that have been loaded with rice and minced pork or chicken, as well as chopped onion and carrots, then cooked slowly. Unlike in some other cuisines, they are served with large dollops of sour cream in Moldovan cuisine!

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE: 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 large onion, chopped, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. brown sugar, 2 tsp. dried oregano, Kosher sal, Freshly ground black pepper
• FOR THE CABBAGE ROLLS: 15 cabbage leaves, 1 lb. ground beef, 1/4 c. uncooked white rice, 1/4 c. Italian bread crumbs, 1/2 large onion, chopped, 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• FOR THE SAUCE
• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large deep skillet (or large pot) over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Pour over tomatoes then add vinegar, sugar, and oregano.
• Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• FOR THE ROLLS
• In a large pot of boiling water, blanch cabbage leaves until tender and flexible, about 1 minute.
• Make filling: In a large bowl, combine ground meats, 1 cup sauce, rice, bread crumbs, onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Using a paring knife, cut out the hard triangular rib from each cabbage leaf. Place about ⅓ cup filling into one end of each leaf, then roll up, tucking in the sides as you roll. Place rolls seam side-down on top of sauce in baking dish.
• Spoon remaining sauce on top of cabbage rolls then cover dish with foil. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes, until rice and meat are cooked through.
• Garnish with more parsley before serving.