Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

Cooking

1. Cut out the core with a knife and submerge the cabbage in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 3-5 minutes, removing softened top leaves with tongs until you have 18-20 pieces. Trim the thick veins at the base of each leaf.
2. Boil the rice until half-cooked for 7-8 minutes, drain the water, and let cool.
3. Sauté finely chopped onion and grated carrot in oil for 7-8 minutes until soft. Set aside half of the vegetable mixture for the sauce.
4. Mix the minced meat, rice, half of the vegetable mixture, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
5. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling on the edge of a leaf, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly into an envelope shape.
6. For the sauce, combine the remaining vegetable mixture with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, sugar, salt, and bay leaf, then bring to a boil.
7. Arrange the cabbage rolls tightly in a pot or deep baking dish seam-side down, and pour the sauce over them so that it almost covers them.
8. Simmer covered on low heat for 60-75 minutes (or in the oven at 170°C). The cabbage rolls are ready when the cabbage is completely tender and the sauce has thickened. Serve with sour cream.