Recipe | Babci’s Golumpki

Lately I’ve been seeing a recipe for golumpki casserole floating around the Internet. I was interested in making it, and even had it on my menu. But I decided to make actual golumpkis instead. Truthfully, they’re not hard to do. And even though I was not at the top of my cabbage-rolling game when I make these on Monday, they still held together and tasted delicious (which is obviously the most important part).

After I’d put together a pan of the golumpkis, I still had some of the meat-rice mixture left over, but only teeny tiny little cabbage leaves that were way too small. So in a square Pyrex, I just layered the ingredients — tomato sauce, cabbage, meat-rice, repeat. Call it a lazy girl’s golumpki 😉

Now, this recipe is one that stands out from my childhood. When I was a kid, I’d eat everything except the cabbage, and I’d put a little bit of ketchup on top. Nowadays, I love to eat the cabbage, but you know what? I still put a little ketchup on top too. Don’t knock it ’til you try it! OK, ready to get going on this Polish classic? Since this is a  family recipe without precise measurements, I did the best I could to explain. Just leave a comment if something doesn’t make sense! Luckily, we took photos when my parents and I made them back in November, so hopefully those help as well.

Babci’s Golumpkis

1 lb. meatloaf mix (beef, pork, veal)
1-1.5 c. cooked rice
1 small onion, diced
tomato sauce 
large head of Savoy cabbage
salt & pepper to taste

 

• Partially core the cabbage. In a stockpot, boil the head of cabbage in salted water for 10-15 minutes until the cabbage has softened. Do not overcook it. Cabbage leaves that are overcooked will break and will not hold the filling. Drain the cabbage and cool. Carefully separate the leaves without tearing and set aside.
• To make the filling, cook the meatloaf mix and onion together in a large frying pan until the meat is browned. Drain fat from cooked meat. Add cooked rice and about a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. 
• Cover the bottom of a Pyrex baking dish with tomato sauce. Not too much, just so there’s a thin layer
• With a paring knife, cut down the thick “vein” at the bottom of the cabbage leaf to make it easier to roll. Add aprox. 2 Tbsps. of the filling to a cabbage leaf. To make this easier, you can use a soup ladle to help.

• Begin to roll up the golumpki, then fold over the side and finish rolling. Place each roll with the seam side down in your baking dish. The rolls should be arranged close together.

• Pour a little more tomato sauce over the top of all the golumpkis. Cover the top with cabbage leaves.

• Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Enjoy!