Cabbage is not my favorite vegetable, by any stretch of the imagination! But I got a massive head of cabbage for $1 at a little farm in Hendersonville, NC while there for a girl's weekend with the Pratts! So I decided I'd try this recipe from my sister, Susanna Hindman (thanks sis!). My husband Josh and I were delighted with the new recipe! This will be a keeper for us. These buns are far from what you'd think when you hear the word "cabbage." They are a slightly sweet yeast roll, filled with tender cabbage, beef (I used Italian sausage-yum!), green pepper, and onion (if you fancy it-I left this ingredient out, mainly because I didn't have one) combined to bring you a delectable dish. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
Dough:
3/4 C warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg
3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 packages of rapid-rise or instant yeast
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP unsalted butter (for brushing rolls)
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs. 90% lean ground beef (I used 1 lb of mild Italian sausage)
1 large onion, chopped fine (I omitted)
1/2 small head cabbage, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2-1 green bell pepper
1 TBSP unsalted butter
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 slices American, Pepper Jack, or Sharp White Cheddar cheese
Dough
Lightly grease a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the water, condensed milk, oil, sugar, and egg in a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl.
Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water mixture the flour and stir until dough forms.
Turn onto heavily floured surface and knead until shiny and smooth (about 4-6 min). Shape into ball. Place in greased bowl, turn once to coat both sides, and cover. Let rise in warm place about 1 hour.
MEANWHILE....
Filling
Add the beef (or sausage) and cook until just beginning to brown, about 6 min, breaking into small chunks (season the meat if desired). Drain off the grease from the meat.
While the meat is cooking, melt 1 TBSP butter in a small stockpot, add onion (if using) and saute for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add cabbage and green pepper and cook until cabbage just starts to wilt (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add drained, cooked meat to the cabbage mixture and turn until ingredients are blended together.
Assemble and Bake
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
Working on a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 7 inch circle.
Place one dough round in a deep cereal bowl and top with one large slice of cheese (I only had a block of cheese, so mine look a little pathetic)
Spoon 3/4 C of the filling over the cheese. Stretch and fold four corners of the dough together to form a bun.
Transfer the buns, seam side down, to a baking stone (love mine!-this will cook the tops and bottoms evenly) or, if you don't have a stone, lightly spray a large baking sheet with oil. Cover the buns and let rise until puffed, about 20 min. Melt 2 TBSP unsalted butter and lightly brush the buns.
Bake the buns at 350 degrees for about 20 min, if using a baking sheet, rotating them halfway through to ensure they bake evenly. Brush with the remainder of the melted butter and serve.
ENJOY!
For quick reference:
Ingredients:
Dough:
3/4 C warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg
3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 packages of rapid-rise or instant yeast
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP unsalted butter (for brushing rolls)
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs. 90% lean ground beef (I used 1 lb of mild Italian sausage)
1 large onion, chopped fine (I omitted)
1/2 small head cabbage, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2-1 green bell pepper
salt and pepper
8 slices American, Pepper Jack, or Sharp White Cheddar cheese
Dough
Lightly grease a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the water, condensed milk, oil, sugar, and egg in a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water mixture the flour and stir until dough forms.Turn onto heavily floured surface and knead until shiny and smooth (about 4-6 min). Shape into ball. Place in greased bowl and cover. Let rise in warm place about 1 hour.
MEANWHILE....
Filling
Add the beef (or sausage) to a skillet and cook until just beginning to brown, about 6 min, breaking into small chunks (season the meat if desired). Drain off the grease from the meat. While the meat is cooking, melt 1 TBSP butter in a small stockpot, add onion (if using) and saute for 2 minutes or until tender. Add cabbage and green pepper and cook until cabbage just starts to wilt (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add drained, cooked meat to the cabbage mixture and turn until ingredients are blended together
Assemble and Bake
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.Working on a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 7 inch circle. Place one dough round in a deep cereal bowl and top with one large slice of cheese. Spoon 3/4 C of the filling over the cheese. Stretch and fold four corners of the dough together to form a bun. Transfer the buns, seam side down, to a baking stone (love mine!-this will cook the tops and bottoms evenly) or, if you don't have a stone, lightly spray a large baking sheet with oil. Cover the buns and let rise until puffed, about 20 min. Melt 2 TBSP unsalted butter and lightly brush the buns. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 min, if using a baking sheet, rotating them halfway through to cook the buns evenly. Brush with the remainder of the melted butter, serve, and enjoy!
