I’m very fond of this recipe I wrote for BBC Good Food Magazine. In Romania, sarmale are more than just a dish — they’re part of who we are. We love cooking with fermented vegetables, and these sauerkraut cabbage leaves are a perfect example of that tradition.

Stuffed leaves — or sarmale — form a whole world of their own in Romanian cuisine: inventive and endlessly varied. Beyond sauerkraut or vine leaves, we also use linden, lovage, dock leaves, horseradish leaves and even raspberry leaves. Fillings range from meat to vegan — pork, beef, duck, fish, whelks, rice, dried fruit, nuts, cheese — all simmered slowly in tomato sauce or stock, and served with sour cream and polenta or mashed potatoes.

In this recipe, I’ve gone for a classic filling of minced pork, rice, onions, and thyme (or savory). The sauce has a touch of tomato paste and paprika to bring out the flavour of the sauerkraut and pork — or you can skip them for a “white” Transylvanian version. Serve them with polenta (mămăligă) in Romanian, sour cream, and pickled chillies.

A simple, comforting dish with deep roots. Thank you Good Food team for the chance to share it.

Free recipe here