Sarmale

Ingredients

Quantities for 8 servings.

• 1 piece Whole soured cabbage
• 800 g Minced pork
• 150 g Short-grain rice, uncooked
• 3 piece Onions
• 300 g Smoked ribs
• 3 tbsp Tomato paste
• 2 tsp Savory and thyme
• 3 piece Bay leaves
• 60 ml Neutral oil
• to taste Soured cream and polenta
• to taste Salt and pepper

Method

1. 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.
2. Fry the finely chopped onion in the oil until soft, add the tomato paste and cook two minutes. Cool it completely.
3. Mix the pork with the rice, the cooled onion, savory, salt and pepper.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Add water to the level of the top layer and cook three hours on the lowest heat or at 150 °C in the oven.