Sarmale
Romania’s cabbage rolls: small, dill-scented, simmered in tomato broth with smoked bacon, served over mămăligă with sour cream.
- prep
- 50 min
- cook
- 2 h 30 min
- total
- 3 h 20 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- medium
Sarmale are the Romanian branch of the great cabbage-roll family: smaller than their Serbian cousins, scented with dill and thyme, and simmered in a tomato-touched broth. At Christmas and weddings they arrive by the hundred.
They are served over mămăligă with cold sour cream, and the three together, sour roll, soft polenta, cool cream, are the point of the exercise.
Sarmale is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.
method
Mix the pork with the rice, softened onion, thyme, dill, salt and pepper.
Roll small, snug parcels in the cabbage leaves, tucking the ends.
Layer them in a pot with the bacon and bay. Whisk the tomato paste and passata with water to cover and pour over.
Simmer, covered and barely moving, for 2.5 hours, or bake at 160°C (320°F) the same time.
Serve over hot mămăligă with cold sour cream, ideally after a night of rest.
chef's tips
- Roll them small; sarmale are judged partly by daintiness, unlike their bigger Balkan cousins.
- The dill is the Romanian signature; be generous.
- Like all their relatives they peak on the second day.