Savoy Cabbage Rolls, Milanese Style

These involtini di cavolo are traditional Milanese county style dish. As any other traditional dish, it can be made in a several ways. Some substitute mortadella with a sausage and add a handful of cooked rise into the stuffing. There is also a version based on fried beef, intestines and liver. And in this case, before you place rolls in a pan, you should add a few tablespoons of tomato puree. Whichever version you try, you will be blown away by the taste. I know a lot of people loath savoy cabbage, but I had two of those at lunch when I made this and they both loved it.

Involtini di Cavolo

1 small savoy cabbage (about 600-700g)
400 g pork or beef roast leftovers
50 g mortadella
1 Tbsp bread crumbs
50 g butter
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (or Grana Padano)
1 egg
1 bundle of parsley leaves
1 clove garlic
1 small onion, finely chopped
100 g bacon
white wine
meat or vegetable broth
salt
ground black pepper

Take roast, mortadella and 50 g bacon and grind two times in a meat grinder. Put in a bowl, add cheese, brad crumbs, chopped parsley pressed garlic and egg. Mix thoroughly, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Take about 12 leaves of savoy cabbage and cut them in half, removing middle stem. Blanch a couple at a time for a few minutes in salted boiling water. Do not cover the pot as this will help the leaves stay nicely green. Take them out on a kitchen cloth and let dry.

Take a small amount of stuffing, shape into ball, place on the middle of a cabbage leaf and wrap them like a parcel. Tie each with a piece of a kitchen rope.

Put onion, butter and diced remaining bacon in a clay pan and saute on low heat. Add rolls and fry a little on each side. Add salt and pepper to taste, pour about half of glass of wine and cook on high heat until the wine evaporates. Then, reduce heat to low, cover and continue to cook for about 30-40 minutes, adding broth when necessary.

Serve with soft polenta or Arborio rice cooked al dente.

This is a recipe from Sale & Pepe magasine, Serbian issue for March 2008.