Also see “Sarmale” forcemeat rolls in cabbage leaves recipe  Sarmales are a popular everyday and holiday dish.  Sarmale is traditionally made with cabbage leafs but other leaves such as grapes are also used.

 

Ingredients:
 -250 grams grape leafs or 1 cabbage
-1kg. minced meat (beef/pork+beef)
-1 slice of bread shreded
-2 chopped onions
-2 tablespoons of rice
-salt,pepper,savory,crushed dill
-2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
-2 or 3 tablespoons of borscht if done with grape or beet leafs

    Dip in water the center of  the slice of bread and squeeze it good then hash it (mince). Separately fry the small-cutted onions.when they start to  get yellow add the rice. Fry it a little, then add  very little water and put the meat in. Put the mashed dill, savory salt, pepper and add 2-3 spoons of water and fry for a few minutes.  This makes the filling 

 IF YOU USE CABBAGE:
 -detach each cabbage leaf, cut the stump off and wash the leafs with cold water
--cut the leafs in 2 (or depends how  big you want them to be) and wrap the filling with the cabbage leaves
-the stump and the cabbage that you didnt use cut them in small  pieces and put them on the bottom of pot
-above these,put the cabbage roles 1 by 1 so you make a "floor" of them in the pot
keep making floors till you have used all of the cabbage rolls
-add water to cover them up
-let them boil for a few minutes on the stove then move them into the oven at 180 Fahreheit or 350 celcius for 2 hours allowing the juice to condense   

 

IF YOU USE GRAPE LEAFS:
-same as with cabbage but: 
    -when they`re almost ready, pour few tablespoons of borscht mixed with tomato sauce ,salt and put it in oven for 30 minutes (the borscht  mustn`t be put at beginning cause makes  leafs harder and they become unpleasant when you eat them 

 

 -serve them with  cream or yogurt