Romanian traditional dish.

Sarmale is a traditional Romanian dish that consists of cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of ground meat, rice, and herbs. It is a flavorful and hearty dish that is often served during festive occasions such as weddings, Christmas, and Easter. Here is a recipe for making sarmale:

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage
1 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup uncooked rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and blanch them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes until they become pliable. Remove from water and let cool.

Carefully remove the rest of the cabbage leaves one by one and cut off the thick stem at the base. Set the leaves aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground pork, ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, parsley, dill, mint, salt, and pepper.

Take a cabbage leaf and place a small spoonful of the meat mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage leaf over the filling and then roll the cabbage leaf up tightly.

Place the rolled sarmale in a large baking dish, seam side down.

In a separate bowl, mix together the tomato paste and water. Pour the tomato mixture over the sarmale.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the meat is cooked through and the cabbage is tender.

Serve hot with sour cream, if desired.

Sarmale is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for sharing with friends and family. With this recipe, you can create your own sarmale and experience the rich flavors of Romanian cuisine in your own kitchen.