Cabbage Kapusta Pasty Recipes

KAPUSTA (POLISH BRAISED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Sauté the diced bacon in a medium sauté pan with a lid, over medium high heat, 2-3 min.
• Add the diced onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the onions are golden. (At this point, if there is a lot of fat in the pan from the bacon, drain some off, leaving just enough bacon grease to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.)
• Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the shredded cabbage and water. Cover the pot and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until the cabbage has softened.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper. Taste your kapusta, and adjust the seasonings as desired.
• Serve with polish sausage or pierogies.

KAPUSTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat; saute onions and mushrooms until tender.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, boil cabbage for 10 minutes.
• In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish combine onions, mushrooms, cabbage, sauerkraut, sugar, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Dot remaining 2 tablespoons butter on top. Cover.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

CABBAGE (KAPUSTA) PASTY

Steps:

• Filling Preparation: Chop cabbage, add salt and let stand for 1/2 hour. Squeeze all juice out. In a frying pan, put 1/2 cup oil or shortening. Put in cabbage and fry for about 3/4 hour. Stir continually until just lightly browned (so the cabbage takes on a sweeter, caramelized taste). Then let cool.
• Pasty Preparation: Soften yeast cake in 1/2 cup warm water. Add shortening to 1 cup milk and warm together. Beat eggs slightly, mix with the milk, and add 1/2 cup water, sugar and salt. Add to the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups flour, mix well, and let rise about 1/2 hour. Mix in as much of the remaining flour (4-5 cups)to get a good, non-sticky dough suitable for rolling. Let rise again and punch down.
• Assembly: Roll dough into pasty sized circles (about a 4-6 inch circle, but you can make them smaller for appetizers, and larger for lunch on the go -- ) and spread your cabbage filling on half of the dough, almost to the edge. Fold dough over and pinch edges together to seal. Brush with an egg wash (makes a nice, shiny brown crust) and prick with fork as for pie.
• Bake on greased cookie sheets at 375°F for 20-30 minutes.
• Brush the finished pasties with melted butter.

MEAT AND CABBAGE PASTIES

Steps:

• In large skillet, crumble meat. Stir over med-high heat until meat begins to brown. Push meat to one side of pan and drain fat.
• Add chopped onions and garlic to the meat. Continue cooking until onion is limp, but not browned.
• Add cabbage, 1/2 cup water, beef buillon cube, oregano and cumin. Stir.
• Cover pan, reduce heat and simmer until cabbage is tender and juices have cooked away, about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, combine remaining water with salt, sugar, shortening and eggs. Add yeast and two copy of the flour. Beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl several times.
• Cover bowl and set in a warm place until mixture is bubbly, about 30-40 minutes. Put bowl back on heavy mixer and add 4 more cups flour, one cup at a time. Or you can do this by hand. Knead until soft and resillient, but not sticky, about 5 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed.
• Place in greased bowl, turn over, cover and set in warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1 1/2 hours Punch down dough and cut in half. Put one half back in the bowl and cover.
• Roll the other half of the dough on a lightly floured board into a 12x24 inch rectangle. Cut into 8 pieces, each 4 inches square. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place about 1/3 cup of the filling on each square. Bring opposite corners of each square to meet in center. Or, you can make it a triangle and pinch 1/4 inch of edges, with water if necessary, to seal. Press with tines of a fork to get a good seal.
• With spatula, transfer each to a greased baking sheet, placing about 1 inch apart. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place about 20 minutes.
• Unwrap and bake in a 375F oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Melt tops with melted butter and then let cool slightly before serving. Can be served at room temperature.

MY KAPUSTA (POLISH CABBAGE SOUP)

Steps:

• Shred cabbage, set aside.
• Brown ribs in small amount of olive oil in large fry pan; remove from pan.
• Sauté cabbage using drippings in pan and butter. I usually do this in batches, adding all cabbage and juices from each batch into the pot.
• Add butter to pan and make next batch.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add sauerkraut and mix in well.
• Bury ribs in cabbage mix, fill with cold water just to cover all.
• Bring pot to boil, cover and lower heat to simmer.
• Simmer for about 2 hours.
• Check after 1-1/2 hours to see if cabbage is soft; meat should be falling off the bones.
• When done, carefully remove meat making sure to get all the bones.
• There aren't many or any bones in the country style ribs, that's why I use them instead of regular ribs.
• Separate meat from bones and fat and return meat to pot. Mix.
• I use an 8 quart enameled cast iron pot. Try to use a heavy metal pot or one that has a heavy bottom.
• Some people serve this in a bowl with boiled or mashed potatoes and/or some sour cream; and a nice hunk of Polish sisal bread, if you can find any!
• You could also add caraway or dill seeds when cooking it.
• NOTE:.If you can make this the night before you will serve it, and refrigerate it, it is better. The taste improves with age!