Sarmale
Cabbage rolls that spread across the old Ottoman sphere from the Turkish word 'sarmak' (to roll), but that Romania adopted so thoroughly they function as the country's actual national dish, eaten at Christmas, Easter, and weddings. What sets sarmale apart from the site's existing Polish gołąbki and Ukrainian holubtsi is real and specific: whole leaves of pickled, fermented cabbage rather than fresh, a pork-and-smoked-bacon filling with fresh dill, and a long simmer in paprika-tomato broth served with sour cream and mămăligă polenta on the side.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 whole pickled/fermented cabbage, leaves separated (or blanched regular cabbage leaves plus 2 tbsp vinegar brine)
- 500g ground pork
- 150g smoked bacon, diced
- 100g rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- Fresh dill
- Fresh thyme, bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Sour cream, to serve
- Mămăligă (cornmeal polenta), to serve
Steps
- Sauté the onion in bacon fat until soft.
- Mix the onion with the raw ground pork, rice, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Place a spoonful of filling in each cabbage leaf, roll tightly, tucking in the sides.
- Line a large pot with extra cabbage leaves and bacon, pack the rolls tightly in layers with bay leaves and thyme tucked in.
- Pour diluted tomato paste and water over to cover, and simmer covered for 2-3 hours until the cabbage is meltingly tender.
- Serve hot with sour cream and mămăligă.