Main Meals

Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage) - As prepared by Katharina Balogh

Chris Balogh, Katharina's daughter-in-law, says that her mother-in-law makes the best Sarma. Here's her recipe:

• Ingredients

  1 lb Ground Round (Lean)	1 glass jar of sauerkraut (1 qt.)
  1 lb Ground Pork	1 head of green cabbage
  1 lb Smoked ham	1 - 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
  2 small onions (chopped)	1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  3/4 cup rice	1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste)
  1 egg	3 tsps paprika

Cooking Directions:
Cook 3/4 cup of raw rice and allow it to cool. Saute the onions in butter or margarine. Mix the rice, onions, meats, egg, salt, pepper, and paprika into a mixture so you can make meat balls the size of a fist. To prepare the head of cabbage, place it into a pot of boiling water so that the leaves can be removed individually. Do not cook the cabbage!!! Wrap the individual cabbage leaves around each ball mixture. This should leave you with 20 - 24 Sarma balls. Place the balls into a roaster or glass roasting pan and arrange the sauerkraut on top of the Sarma balls. Pour the tomato sauce over the balls and add enough water to cover them. Bake covered at 325 F for 1 1/2 hours, checking periodically. Prepare 2 Tblsp of flour mixed with water. (Consistency of gravy). Pour this mixture over the Sarma and bake an additional 1/2 hour covered. Sarma can be served with French bread or mashed potatoes.