Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls are a very tasty traditional dish and I can offer you a classic version with an Italian twist. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 8 cabbage leaves
• 300 g ground meat (choose between beef, pork, or a mix of the two)
• 1 egg
• 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 80 g of stale bread or breadcrumbs
• Milk as needed (to soften the bread)
• Chopped parsley as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 glass of white wine (for deglazing)
• 400 ml of tomato puree
• Vegetable or meat broth as needed

Preparation

1. Start by softening the breadcrumbs in milk.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the cabbage leaves for about 5 minutes until they soften. Drain them and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the ground meat, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, squeezed bread, and Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and work the mixture until it becomes homogeneous.
4. Take the cabbage leaves, place some of the filling on each of them and roll them up to form the rolls, securing the end with a toothpick.
5. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and lay down the rolls. Brown them on all sides, then deglaze with white wine.
6. When the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomato puree and a little broth, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, adding broth if necessary.
7. Serve the cabbage rolls hot, accompanied by their cooking sauce.

A curiosity: cabbage rolls are a dish that lends itself to numerous variations, depending on the Italian regions. For example, in some versions, raisins and pine nuts are added to the filling to give a sweet and crunchy touch, or sausages are used instead of ground meat for a more rustic flavor.