Sauerkraut Cabbage Rolls with Minced Meat and Rice

Finely chop the onion. Heat the lard or oil well in a frying pan and fry the onion for 1 minute.

Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain. Add it to the fried onion and fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, paprika and 150 ml hot water. Cook over medium heat until the rice absorbs the water.

Season with black pepper, summer savory and 1/2 tsp salt. Turn off the heat, add the minced meat to the pan and mix thoroughly without frying it.

Separate 20–30 intact leaves from the sauerkraut cabbage.

Cut the tough central rib out of each leaf with a V-shaped cut.

Place 1–2 tablespoons of filling in the centre of each leaf. Use more or less depending on the size of the leaf.

Fold the leaves around the filling to make cabbage rolls.

Grease the base of a clay casserole with oil or lard. Cover it with the ribs cut from the cabbage leaves and a few more pieces of cabbage, covering the whole base.

Pack the cabbage rolls closely together in the casserole.

Pour the sauerkraut brine into the empty filling pan. Add about 300–400 ml hot water, then pour everything over the cabbage rolls.

Add 4 tbsp oil and 1 tsp paprika.

Cover the casserole and place it in a cold oven. Heat to 180°C, then bake the cabbage rolls for 60 minutes from the time the oven reaches that temperature.