Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours

One of the most popular winter dishes in Croatia is the delicious stuffed cabbage known as sarma, a winter staple traditionally served on New Year’s Eve. There are many variations of sarma and numerous ways to prepare it. Here is Croatian chef Slavko Večerić's version.

Tip
This is a dish that is even better reheated. It can be stored in the fridge for several days.

1. Dice the onions and sauté in a little oil in a skillet. Add the garlic.
2. In a bowl, thoroughly combine the meat, salt, pepper, rice, chopped diced pancetta, paprika, egg and parsley. Add the onions and garlic and mix again.
3. Remove the core of the sour cabbage and remove and reserve the larger leaves. Finely chop the remainder of the cabbage. 
4. Place a generous spoonful of the filling (2) onto each cabbage leaf; fold in the sides and roll up. Continue until the leaves and filling are used up. 
5. Place half the chopped cabbage and some pancetta in the bottom of a large pot. 
6. Place the cabbage rolls on top. Cover with the remaining chopped cabbage and pancetta and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of paprika. Add enough water to cover. 
7. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.Do not stir during cooking so as not to break the rolls. Shake the pot gently occasionally to prevent sticking.
8. In a small pan, make a roux by browning the flour in an equal amount of oil until golden; add a spoonful of paprika and 125 to 200 ml of water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
9. Pour the mixture over the cabbage and cook 10 minutes longer. The sarma are ready. Serve with mashed potato. 

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