Forcemeat rolls in sour cabbage leaves (Sarmale)

Ingredients
1.5 kg cabbage
1 kg fat pork meat, chopped
200 g smoked pig fat, diced
80 g Riso Scotti Bob cu Bob Mare
Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons of Riso Scotti Rice Oil
1 tablespoon of good quality sweet paprika (optional)
2 teaspoons of chili pepper paste (optional)
6 tablespoons of tomato paste
6 bay leaves
6 thyme stalks
1 tablespoon of black pepper, juniper and allspice beads mixture (optional)

Instructions
If the cabbage is too sour, or too salty, wash the leaves for several times in worm water and drain them well. Keep only the thin leaves that have no veins. Cut them in half or quarter, according to their dimensions and how large you want them to be. Slice the rest of the leaves finely.
Flatten the cabbage leaves that you will use to roll the meat with your hands. You will be able to roll them easier this way.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and fry the chopped meat for a few minutes, with a little bit of salt and water, until it gets soft. After a few minutes, add the rice and stir well, to allow it to absorb the flavored oil. Increase the heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Leave the mixture cool.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped meat, onion and rice mixture (with the liquid), salt, pepper, crushed chili pepper, sweet paprika. Mix the ingredients, cover the bowl and leave it rest for 1-2 hours, to allow the flavors to blend well.
Lay the cabbage leaves on the table, put one tablespoon of the mixture on the leaves’ width, towards one of the edges. Roll the short edge over the stuffing, then bring the side edge over it and continue rolling, until you reach the other end of the leaf; insert the free end of the leaf into the roll, to close it. If there are any leaves left, after using all the meat, slice them finely.
Use a large pan, of approximately 5 liters; the rolls must fill only 2/3 of the pan, because they will expand pretty much during cooking. Arrange some chopped cabbage on the bottom of the pan. On top of it, start building the rolls, one aside the other, until they have covered the bottom. Pour 1 – 1½ tablespoons of tomato paste (this way they will have a nice, even color) and a few pieces of smocked pig fat.
Continue in the same way with the second layer, until you have transferred all the rolls into the pan. Put some pig fat and tomato paste on them as well. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped cabbage. Insert the bay leaves, thyme, pepper, juniper and allspice mixture through the rolls.
Pour some boiling water, enough for it to cover the rolls. Bring to boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan and boil the rolls very slowly, at low heat, for 4-5 hours, until they are tender and you can cut them easily using a fork. Check the level of the liquid from time to time and add some more boiling water, if necessary.
In the end, cook the rolls in the oven, at medium heat, until they become brownish, and the quantity of liquid remained is the desired one.
This dish has more taste if served the next day, because this allows the flavors to blend well. You can serve them either with bread, or polenta, cream or yogurt and sprinkled with paprika.

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