Usually tropical countries use some type of leaf (e.g. banana leaf) to cook their food. Well also “northern” or colder countries such as Germany have their share in that. Obviously banana leaf is not a typical German ingredient. It is the cabbage leaf that is mainly used for such purposes.
What you need (4 portions)
- 4 large cabbage leaves
- 250g ground meat (pork/veal mix works best)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup tomato suce
- 2 spoons chopped thyme
- 1 spoon sugar
- salt and pepper
- 4 spoons olive oil
How you do it:
Steam the leaves in salty water until they turn soft (aprox 5-10mins).
Meanwhile mix together ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, and chopped onion to create filling. Divide it in 4 equal meatballs.
Once the leaves are done, rinse them and let them cool down. Remove the base of the stem of each leaf.
Take 1 leaf and place one meatball in the middle. Roll over the leaf to create a roll. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the other leaves.
Mix together tomato sauce, thyme and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
In a large pot heat up the olive oil. Roast quickly all leaves. Cover them afterwards with the tomato sauce. Place lid and reduce heat to a minimum. Cook for aprox. 35 minutes.
Dig in and enjoy
The Chef Cat 