Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
from Italian Traditional Food

Stuffed cabbage leaves are a winter's day delight

Stuffed cabbage leaves is a great way of using up any cabbage you may have around. Not only that but stuffed cabbage leaves is also a very delicious meal, especially on a cold winter's day. It is made with a savoury filling of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, ricotta and eggs, all covered with a tomato pasta sauce. The quantities below will make enough stuffed cabbage leaves to feed four hungry people.

Serves: 4 (4 stuffed cabbage leaf parcels per person)

Cooking Time: 55 minutes on top of the stove

Ingredients:

1 large savoy cabbage
water
salt (spoonful)

Method:

1. Remove and wash the big leaves from the cabbage.

2. Add salt to large saucepan of cold water.

3. Heat up water to below boiling point.

4. Add the cabbage leaves to large saucepan.

5. Cover and simmer until the cabbage leaves become soft and pliable.

6. Remove from the water and allow to cool.

Ingredients for tomato sauce:

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
5 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 celery sticks (finely chopped)
1 vegetable stock cube
pinch of dried basil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tins of plum peeled tomatoes (chopped)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Add olive oil to a large deep pan or casserole dish.

2. Add garlic.

3. Add onion.

4. Add celery.

5. Add butter.

6. Add a pinch of dried basil.

7. Add salt.

8. Add pepper.

9. Fry garlic and onion until golden brown.

10. Crumble vegetable stock cube over fried garlic and onion mixture.

11. Add tomatoes.

12. Stir sauce mixture.

13. Bring tomato sauce to the boil and the simmer for about 15 minutes.

14. The sauce is now ready for the addition of the stuffed cabbage leaf parcels.

Ingredients for filling:

250 grams ricotta
50 grams breadcrumbs
150 grams Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Place the grated Parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the breadcrumbs.

3. Add ricotta.

4. Add salt.

5. Add pepper.

6. Add eggs.

7. Mix all the ingredients together.

8. Pick up a heaped tablespoon of the filling mixture.

9. Put the tablespoon of mixture into the centre of the cooked cabbage leaf.

10. Fold the cabbage leaf into a parcel shape as follows:

11. Place the stuffed cabbage leaf parcels into the tomato sauce.

12. Keep adding the stuffed cabbage leaf parcels to the sauce until all the leaves and filling are used up (usually about 16 parcels).

13. Cover pan and cook slowly (simmer) on top of the stove for about 55 minutes.

14. Cooked stuffed cabbage leaves.

15. Arrange four stuffed cabbage leaves per person on a plate.

16. Serve hot with a slice of freshly made Italian bread.

Tip:

1. They can be eaten on their own but are especially tasty when eaten either with fresh Italian bread or mash potato.

2. Stuffed cabbage leaves can be cooked in the oven (190C (375F) or Gas Mark 5 for 45 minutes) using a casserole or ovenproof dish but will not taste as good as when slow cooked on top of the stove.

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