This dish of Layered Pork and Cabbage, Rakott Kaposzta, was one of my mother’s favorites. It is best made from freshly ground pork shoulder to give the dish that extra flavor. And don’t worry about leftovers, this casserole improves with reheating. Serve with crunchy fresh bread.
Tip : If the pork is very lean, increase the amount of oil, or ask your butcher to grind a fresh boneless pork shoulder. You will need about one pound for the recipe and can easily freeze the rest for other recipes.
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
- 1 egg yolk
Pork and Rice Layer
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3/4 medium onion chopped
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp Hungarian paprika
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tsp finely ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 cup rice
- 1 tbsp oil
- water to cover rice
- kosher salt to taste
Pickled Cabbage Layer
- 2-3 cups sauerkraut, rough chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2/3 cup sliced onion
- 1/2 cup water
Garnish
- 2-3 sprigs chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Instructions
Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Heat a 1 tbsp oil in a small sauce pan, add 1 cup rice and stir until well coated. Add just enough water to cover and simmer on medium high heat until the rice has absorbed all the water, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place 2-3 cups sauerkraut, rough chopped in a sieve and rinse under cold running water and set aside to drain.
- Heat a 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat, add 3/4 medium onion chopped,1 tbsp caraway seeds and 1 lb ground pork. Season with kosher salt to taste and 1 tsp finely ground black pepper.
- Cook pork mixture over medium high heat until the pork has lost its color and the onions are soft, about 15 minutes. The pork does not have to be cooked through but should have a crumble consistency. Remove from heat and stir 1 1/2 tbsp Hungarian paprika.
- Remove pork to a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside.
Sourkraut
- Peel and cut an onion in half. Slice the half onion thinly into half moon shapes.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the skillet used to cook the pork and the onions over medium heat.
- Pre heat oven to 350 °F
- Add 2/3 cup sliced onion and sauté until soft. Add 1/2 cup water and sauerkraut , season, mix to combine and reduce heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes.
Assembly
- When all components are cooked, create layers in an oven proof dish, starting with a layer of sauerkraut, then ground pork and rice and repeat ending with sauerkraut.
- Mix 1 cup sour cream, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, and 1 tsp Hungarian paprika in a small bowl. Top the casserole with the sour cream mixture and top the sour cream with 2 medium tomatoes, sliced.
- Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, serve with crusty bread.
