Sarma {Stuffed Cabbage Rolls}

What is the recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls? That’s the question that so many of my friends and family ask. These tasty Croatian cabbage rolls are known as Sarma.

Back in Sydney, the King of Croatian Sarma in our family is Tetak Zeljko {Uncle} and he is absolutely famous for his Sarma recipe. Tetak Zeljko always brings a huge pot of sarma to each big family gathering, and the house immediately smells of sauerkraut {kiseli kapus}. To some people, the smell is offensive, but I love it.

This Aussie girl, also makes sarma, and has done for over ten years. My Croatian sarma have never been as good as Tetak’s, although he has been kind enough to give me some tips. However, he has never given me HIS actual recipe. I guess he doesn’t want to give up the throne just yet. Frankly I do not blame him because this way he gets all of the glory for having the best stuffed cabbage roll recipe in Sydney.

Now that I am no longer in Australia, I find that people here are not only much more willing to share their tips, but they love to impart their knowledge on recipes that have been in their families for generations. When it comes to making Croatian food, I am blessed that I have so many teachers.

A few weeks ago I spent some time asking different members of our family for their stuffed cabbage roll recipes.  From that, I have a few new tips that are sure to get me closer to having the perfect stuffed cabbage roll recipe. I’ve pinched the best bits from them to enhance my own recipe. After all, all good cooks would agree that it’s nice to find out how someone else cooks a recipe so you can improve your own.

I’ve taken my old faithful, blended it with the Croatian family recipe and a few tips that I have been given along the way and now it’s my turn to share with you how to make sarma. I hope you like it.
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Sarma are easy to make but do take a bit of time to prepare and cook. So I’ve some up with the easy stuffed cabbage rolls recipe to reduce the time it will take you.

You’ll need to start this at least 3 hours from the time you want to eat them. Once cooked they taste better the longer they are left, so you can make them the day before. Anything listed as optional is to taste, so do add more or less of the flavours you like.  Mr. CtD and I prefer a lot of paprika and smoked meat to our dishes, so you can cut back on any of these and still have a delicious tasting dish.

Sarma Recipe

Preparation

Take a entire pickled cabbage head. You’ll find these on Amazon or in European delicatessens in the chilled section.  Wash each leaf thoroughly. Remove the thick part of the stem without tearing the leaves. It’s best to allow the leaves to drain on some paper towel or to pat each one dry.

Take a large mixing bowl, and combine:

•     1 kilogram of mince meat. We prefer to use 50% pork neck and 50%veal.
•     200 grams of finely diced speck.
•     4 peeled & crushed garlic cloves
•     1/2 bunch roughly chopped parsley leaves
•     3 tablespoons of soda water or a pinch of bicarbonate soda
•     1 cup of uncooked rice
•     1 1/2 tablespoons Vegeta
•     1 tablespoons of hot paprika. (optional)
•     1 tablespoons of sweet paprika. (optional)
•     2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs (optional)
•     Salt & pepper to taste
•     1 egg
•     1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients until well combined

Let’s Roll

You want each of the leaves to be about the same size so that each cabbage roll cooks at the same time. So go ahead and cut any large leaves in half, and also join two smaller leaves together as you go.

Take approx 3 tablespoons of the minced meat, and gently combine in the palm of your hand. Do not roll or compress as this will make them too dense when you eat them.

Place the meat on the edge of the cabbage leaf and roll away from you. Then tuck in the sides of the leaf gently into the meat. There should be no exposed meat. If there is remove some of the filling.

Set these aside, and prepare the sauce.

Sauce

Ingredients

•     2 onions
•     3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•     100 grams diced smoked speck (pancetta) or smoked bones
•     1/2 bunch chopped parsley
•     2 carrots diced small
•     400 g passata
•     1/2 kilo shredded sauerkraut. make sure you give it a rinse in fresh water before use.
•     salt
•     pepper

In a shallow saucepan or even better, a Le Creuset cast-Iron dish splash in some Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO) add the 2 diced onions and cook until transparent on a low-med heat. Then add the 2 diced carrots, diced speck and parsley. Continue to fry on low-med heat until carrots start to soften.  Add the shredded sauerkraut and create a layer on the bottom of the saucepan. Now pack the Croatian sarma into the saucepan. They should be packed close together. Now pour in boiling water so that it just covers the sarma. Add the passata and a pinch of salt and pepper. Every 15 minutes give the saucepan a shake. Tip: Never mix with a spoon as you will break the sarma.

The sarma should simmer now for 2-2 1/2 hours. The way to test if it’s ready is to take one out and try it. The cabbage should have softened.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-stuffed-cabbages-sarma-recipe/