Toltott Kaposzta

Set a large stockpot of water on stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Core head of cabbage at its bottom and place into boiling water. Let boil for 5 minutes.

Once 5 minutes is up, remove cabbage and dunk into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking process. Remove it from the bucket of ice water and set aside in a bowl to let water drain. Take stockpot, drain water, and set aside.

For the filling, in a large bowl, mix rice, ground pork, onion, garlic and egg (it’s easiest to do this with your hands, but that’s up to you). Once everything has been mixed, add black pepper and paprika and mix again.

Once cabbage is slightly more dry, begin peeling leaves off cabbage. Be cautious not to rip the leaves so rolling can be done more easily.

Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface like a cutting board. Cut and remove a bit of the spine if it will flatten the leaf more and make it easier to roll around the filling. Take a large tablespoonful of filling and place it in the middle of the leaf. Slowly roll and tighten cabbage around filling, folding the sides of the leaf into middle along the way. Continue until you’ve rolled all you can.

Take the large stockpot and create a bottom layer of half the coarsely chopped onions and sauerkraut. Next, layer cabbage rolls on top of bottom layer. Add another layer of remaining sauerkraut and onions on top of cabbage rolls.

Add cubed smoked pork chunks on top of sauerkraut and onion layer. Pour stock into stockpot, submerging all ingredients. If stock doesn’t submerge everything, use additional water as needed.

Add bay leaves, tomato paste, and salt. Stir into liquid. Bring stockpot and stock to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, take stockpot off heat and remove cabbage rolls from stockpot. Serve rolls with some of the cooked stock, garnished with yogurt on top. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted and translated from Tomakonyha.