Gołąbki

About This Recipe

Gołąbki (little pigeons) are Poland's most celebrated home-cooked dish — cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of minced pork, rice and onion, then rolled and slow-braised in a rich tomato sauce until the cabbage is silky and the filling has absorbed all the surrounding flavours. They are made in large batches for family gatherings and improve considerably the next day.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 largewhite cabbage
• 500 gminced pork
• 150 glong grain rice(par-cooked)
• 1 largeonion(finely chopped)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspdried marjoram
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 800 gcanned tomatoes
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 200 mlsour cream(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch cabbage

   Core the cabbage. Simmer whole in salted water 8–10 minutes, carefully peeling off softened outer leaves as they loosen. You need 12 large leaves.

2. 2

   Make filling

   Mix minced pork with par-cooked rice, onion, garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Roll

   Place 3 tbsp filling in the centre of each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll tightly. Secure with a toothpick if needed.

4. 4

   Make sauce

   Blend canned tomatoes with tomato paste, salt and pepper. Pour over rolls in an oven dish.

5. 5

   Bake

   Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 180°C for 80–90 minutes until cabbage is silky and filling is cooked through. Serve with sour cream.

Variations

• •

  Use minced beef and pork in a 50/50 mix for extra richness.

• •

  Make a mushroom-rice vegetarian filling for a meatless version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for 4 days. Improve greatly the next day. Freeze well for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions