Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

• ¹/₂ cup short grained white rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹/₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¹/₂ tablespoons smoked paprika
• ¹/₄ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 whole cabbage head
• 1 28 oz. can tomato puree
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¹/₂ cup water
• fresh dill and sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Start by par-boiling the rice. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the washed rice. Let boil for 5 minutes before draining and running under cold water. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the filing, add the ground pork, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chili flakes, chopped dill, and egg to a large bowl. With clean hands, mix thoroughly until incorporated. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, use a paring knife to cut the core out of the cabbage. Add the whole head of cabbage to the water, and let boil for 2-3 minutes. The outer leaves of the cabbage will start to come loose, and you should be able to peel them away and out of the water with a pair of tongs. Set aside and repeat the process, letting the outer leaves become soft before removing. You should have enough filling for 12-14 cabbage rolls. Any leftover cabbage can be removed from the water and saved for another recipe.
4. Once the cabbage leaves are cool, add about 3 tablespoons of the filling to each. Holding the cabbage leaf lengthwise away from you, fold in the sides and roll into a tight log. Set aside and repeat with each leaf, keeping the seam side down.
5. Add the can of tomato puree to a large bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour half of the sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom. Add the cabbage rolls, seam side down and packed tightly together. Add ½ cup of water to the remaining sauce and pour evenly over the arranged cabbage rolls. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and put into the preheated oven for 1 hr, or until the rolls are cooked through and the tomato sauce is reduced. Serve immediately, with optional sour cream and extra fresh dill to garnish. By Noah Tanen (food52)