Golumpki

This has to be the month for all things Polish! Golumpkis are another traditional Polish dish made with beef and cabbage, and of course a perfect accompaniment to pierogis and kielbasa! What a perfect thing to have on an October day!

 

1 large cabbage
2 large onions, diced
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 cups rice, cooked (you can use One-Minute Rice if you like)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary (or any combination of herbs you prefer)
8 cups (2 qts) tomato sauce
Scald the cabbage leaves in boiling water for a minute or two until they’re pliable enough to bend, but you want them to still have some texture and green color. Set them aside to cool and dry off.
Select the best 18 to 20 larger sized leaves. Cut the spine down the center flat against the back of the leaf. Save the rest of the leaves.In a bowl, mix together the onions, raw ground meat, cooked rice, salt, pepper and herbs. Put about half a cup of the filling into each of the prepared cabbage leaves, and wrap the leaf into a pillow-shape, with the seam side down.
Layer about half of the remaining leaves on the bottom of a roasting pan, and then place the cabbage pillows neatly in rows. Cover the dish with the rest of the leaves and the tomato sauce.Bake at 325 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
You can make the golumpkis a few days ahead of time and let them sit in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.Traditionally theses would be served with rye bread and kielbasa.
Variations:
Add a can of tomato soup to the tomato mixture, and also a few tablespoons of sour creamAdd 1/2 cup ketchupAdd 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauceAdd 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Pierogi Party

Pierogis have to be the ultimate comfort food! I was inspired to make some after hearing a fabulous story on NPR, so last weekend I met up with my buddies for a great day of pierogi making. It was definitely a labor of love, but the pierogis were great and everyone really enjoyed our Polish supper!

Filling
2 lbs farmer’s cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese can be used—just make sure it’s nice and smooth by pushing it through a sieve)

2 egg yolks

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar (to taste)

Combine the cheese with the egg yolks, add the salt and sugar, and set aside while you prepare the dough.

The proportions of this recipe can be adjusted according to how much dough you’re planning on making.

Dough (makes approximately 35-40)

4 cups flour

2 eggs

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

enough water to make the ingredients stick to together

Mix the ingredients to the consistency of bread dough. Cut the dough ball into four portions so that you can work with one quarter at a time. Cover the remaining dough with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Roll out the dough on a floured board, until it is about 1/4” thick, and then cut into 3 inch circles.

Don’t worry if the circles are a little on the thick side, as you can roll them out a bit more after you’ve cut them. In fact the pierogis are a little easier to pinch if they’re slightly larger!

Take a dough circle in your hand, and stretch it out slightly. Place about a teaspoon of the cheese filling in the middle. Fold the circle in half and pinch the edge to make a half-moon shape.

Cook a few pierogis at a time in boiling water until they float to the top (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Then lay them out on wax paper to dry, as you finish cooking the rest of the batch.

At this point you can freeze them, or fry them in a little butter and onions and serve. We served them with kielbasa,golumpkis and proper rye bread. 

Let me know how you enjoy them!