This recipe makes 18-20 rolls (about 5 servings).
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage
Ingredients for meat filling:
- 1/2 lb. (227 g) ground chicken or turkey, 95% lean
- 1/2 lb. (227 g) ground pork, 95% lean
- 1 oz. (28 g) grated low fat cheddar cheese
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. basil, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. bread crumbs or panko
- 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. white wine, sherry or sake
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- a pinch of black pepper
Ingredients for sauce:
- 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce (900 g total)
- 2 cups (500 cc) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. fresh finely chopped basil
- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
- salt to taste
Directions:
- Microwave a whole cabbage in a glass bowl covered with a ceramic plate on high for 7-9 minutes or until leaves are soft enough to separate them being torn.
- Mix all the ingredients for the meat filling in a bowl.
- After the cabbage becomes cool enough to handle, carefully separate a leaf of cabbage. At the
base of each cabbage leaf, there is a thick vertical
spine that extends for about 2 to 3 inches. Make a few horizontal cuts along this spine; this will
make it easier to roll the cabbage. Place 2 tbsp. of meat filling on the inside of the cabbage leaf,
at the base and roll once. Fold the left and right sides toward the center and finish rolling.
Repeat for the rest of the meat filling and cabbage leaves.
- In a large, deep pot mix the ingredients for the sauce. Place all the cabbage rolls in the pot. The sauce should cover the rolls. If not, push rolls into the liquid. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour or 15 minutes if you are using a pressure cooker.
- Serve over pasta or with rice.
