Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 8 cups boiling water
• 3 tablespoon salt
• 50 cabbage leaves (about three heads)
• 2 cups uncooked rice
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup ground pork
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 spring fresh dill
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or tomato juice

Directions

Prepare Cabbage Leaves:

• Remove core from cabbage. 
• In a large pot, bring to boil enough water to cover cabbage. 
• Add 2 tablespoons salt and 1/4 cup vinegar to boiling water. 
• Immerse cabbage in boiling water. 
• Cover and cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes. 
• With fork or tongs, gently remove leaves as they become tender. 
• Drain well; let cool. 
• Trim main leaf vein so it is flat like rest of cabbage leaf.
  

Prepare Filling:

• Boil water and pour it over the rice.
  
• Let water soak into rice for 30 minutes. 
  
• Mix rice, pork, egg, herbs, carrots, onions, and spices together.
  

Make Cabbage Rolls:

• Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the meat filling in center of cabbage leaf. 
  
• Fold right hand side of leaf over filling, then roll from base to bottom of leaf, then with index finger gently tuck left hand side of leaf into cabbage roll to make a nice neat roll. 
  
• Arrange cabbage rolls, seam side down in Dutch oven in neat layers. 
  
• Place them loosely touching each other and layer on top of one another. 
  
• Sprinkle with salt between layers. 
  
• Pour broth or tomato juice over the cabbage rolls and cover with more flat cabbage leaves. 
  
• Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours. 
  
• Serve with sour cream. 
  

Alternative:

• May substitute grape leaves for cabbage.
• May omit meat to make this dish vegetarian.

#maindish 

Recipe submitted by Peace Corps Moldova staff