Serves 6-8
Prep Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 60-90 minutes
This is my Mom’s recipe for Dolmathes or Greek stuffed cabbage leaves. I fondly remember the aroma of these filling our house, ensuring no-one was ever late to dinner when they were on the menu! These Dolmathes are much larger and heartier than classic stuffed grape leaves and are a perfect family comfort food meal. Make sure you have a loaf of rustic bread for dipping, so no juices go to waste!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 large onion, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Kouzini olive oil
- 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
Directions
Mix the first 12 ingredients together by hand until well blended.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and boil the whole cabbage for 7-8 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot and let cool. Carefully remove the cabbage leaves, one at a time, and cut out the thick center vein.
Place small ball of filling (about the size of an egg) in the center of each cabbage leaf and roll up into a neat roll. Pack the rolls close together, with the seam side down, in a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid.
Combine canned tomatoes with 1 cup of water, using your hands to break up the whole tomatoes. Pour the tomato mixture over the rolls, cover, and cook on medium heat for 1-1½ hours. Check often to ensure rolls are not sticking to bottom of pan.