Stuffed Cabbage: Cavolo Ripieno

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 cup bread crumbs fresh toasted
• 56 ounce tomatoes whole crushed peeled canned
• 0.5 medium carrots shredded finely
• 0.5 cup cooking wine dry white
• 3  eggs 
• 0.3 cup olive oil extra virgin 
• 3 tablespoons thyme leaves dried fresh chopped
• 4  garlic cloves peeled thinly sliced
• 1 large head cabbage green
• 1.5 pounds pd of ground turkey 
• 1 bunch mint leaves finely chopped
• 1  onion spanish chopped
• 2 bunches parsley italian finely chopped
• 0.5 medium onion red finely chopped
• 10  sage leaves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 4 servings salt to taste

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• mixing bowl
• kitchen towels
• cutting board

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
3. Remove whole leaves from the cabbage to yield 14 large leaves and plunge into the boiling water. Cook until soft enough to fold, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse with cool water and lay out on clean kitchen towels to continue cooling.
5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, place the ground turkey, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup parsley, red onion, sage, salt and pepper and eggs and mix well with hands.
6. Lay out the cabbage leaves on a cutting board and place a medium-sized handful of the turkey mixture in the lower center of each leaf. Fold the lateral sides inward and roll from the base to form a closed pocket out of each stuffed leaf. In an ovenproof casserole large enough to hold all the cabbage rolls, place half the tomato sauce and all the wine.
7. Lay the cabbage rolls atop the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over and bake 1 hour.
8. Remove and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2-cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley and chopped mint.
9. Serve immediately.
10. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
11. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
12. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft.
13. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.