When I shared my recipe for ‘Super Easy Sausage Cabbage Rolls’ on my website, I received a message from a person, whose name was Asa. She wrote, ‘There’s a “lazy” form of this dish, known around all Eastern Europe. It’s a little bit different in ingredients, but almost the same in taste. If you’re interested, I can leave recipe right here. Main idea is that they are not wrapped, but grinded together and baked in sauce.’

Of course I was interested!!! Then she kindly shared her recipe on the page. I followed her recipe and it was quite easy to prepare, and the dish was tasty, comforting, a perfect family food. I loved it! Here is Asa’s ‘Golubtsi’ recipe, but I have halved hers and altered a little bit.

Makes

4 to 6 Servings

Ingredients

500g Ground Meat (Pork & Beef)
1 cup Cooked Rice
1/2 head of Cabbage *about 500g
1/2 Onion *finely chopped
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup Breadcrumbs
Sour Cream to serve

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 Onion *roughly chopped
1/2 Carrot *shredded
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 cup Tomato Sauce *Tomato Pasta Sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
  1. Cabbage need to be shredded or thinly sliced. Blanch in the boiling water, so that it shrinks. Drain and cool in cold water, then squeeze to remove excess water. Place in a large bowl.

  2. Add Ground Meat, cooked Rice, finely chopped Onion, Egg, Salt and Pepper. Mix well, then add 1/4 to 1/3 cup Breadcrumbs depending on the softness of the mixture.
  3. Shape cylinder patties. You can pre-cook them on a frying pan, or simply place the patties in a large baking dish. *Note: It might be a good idea to place in the hot oven and bake at this stage while you are preparing the sauce.
  4. To make the sauce, place all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with Salt and Pepper. Pour the sauce on top of patties.
  5. Bake in the oven at 200℃ for 1 hour or bubbly and ready. Serve with the sauce and Sour Cream.