• 1 large cabbage
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 slices stale country bread, crusts removed
• ½ cup milk
• 500 g (1 lb) minced pork or sausage meat
• ½ cup raw rice
• ½ onion, grated
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp paprika
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500 ml (18 fl oz) tomato and basil sauce (Broths and Sauces)
• 1 cup sour cream for serving (optional)

Discard tough outer leaves from cabbage and cut out the tough central core. Cook in a large pot of simmering, salted water for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove cabbage, reserving water, and rinse well under cold water. Peel off the leaves and pat dry. Cut out any thick stem and trim into 8 rough circles of around 20 cm (8 in) diameter.

Soak bread in milk, then squeeze dry. Mix meat with rice, grated onion, garlic, parsley, bread, paprika, salt and pepper with your hands. Lay out one circle of cabbage, and top with a handful of meat mixture. Roll up as if for a spring roll, tucking in the edges as you go (the first one is messy, then you’ll get the hang of it). Arrange rolls, tightly packed, in a flat-bottomed pan, and enough of the reserved cabbage cooking water to just cover. Simmer gently for 1 hour, covered.

Heat tomato sauce and warm six shallow soup or pasta plates. Remove cabbage rolls from liquid, drain, and place one roll on each serving plate. Spoon hot tomato sauce around each one and serve with sour cream if you are feeling very European.