Ingredients
for 8 servings
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup carrot, grated (110 g)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 lb ground beef (910 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- black pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry red wine(120 mL)
- 28 oz crushed tomato, 1 can (795 g)
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped (20 g)
- salt, to taste
- 1 large head savoy cabbage, eaves separated and stems trimmed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (500 g)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and onion, and cook until the vegetables have softened slightly, 8-10 minutes.
- Add the beef and season with the oregano, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef into smaller pieces, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of pan.
- Once the wine has reduced by half, stir in the crushed tomatoes. Cook until sauce has thickened, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the basil, then remove the sauce from the heat and let cool.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add the cabbage leaves, using tongs to submerge them in the water. Cook until the leaves have softened and are flexible, 1-2 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with a paper towels.
- Stir the egg into the cooled meat sauce.
- Place the largest cabbage leaf on the bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) round baking dish. Line the exposed sides and bottom of the pan with more cabbage leaves.
- Spoon in ¼ of the meat sauce, spreading evenly. Dollop ¼ of the ricotta on top of the sauce. Cover with cabbage leaves. Repeat with the remaining sauce, ricotta, and cabbage to make 3 more layers.
- Fold any overhanging cabbage leaves toward the center of the pan.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour, until lightly browned on top. Let cool for 20 minutes.
- To serve, place a serving plate over the baking dish and invert the chou farci onto the plate. Remove the pan, then slice into wedges and serve.
- Enjoy!