Greek Cabbage Pie

 Easier to prepare than individual roll and full of Mediterranean flavor.

Ingredients

1 cabbage cored removed

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup rice

1 tsp salt

Black pepper

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp dried dill

Olive oil as needed

Juice of 2 lemons, 1 for the filling, 1 for baking liquid 

1 cup water

For the avgolemono sauce:

2 cups chicken stock

Juice of 1-2 lemons (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, adjust to taste)

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corned cabbage, core side down, and boil for 15 minutes. Flip and boil for an additional 15 minutes or until the leaves release easily. Drain in a colander and set aside.

To make the filling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the rice, salt, juice of one lemon, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and dill. The rice will be partially cooked. 

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or a 15 inch round pan with olive oil. Line the bottom with cabbage leaves. Add the filling in an even layer, then cover the top with more cabbage leaves. Drizzle with olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, add 1 cup water. Invert a heatproof plate over the pie to hold it down during baking. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and plate, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes until golden.

Carefully remove the plate and let the pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing into portions. 

To make the avgolemono sauce: in a mixing bowl or pitcher, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, the lemon juice until smooth. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Slowly ladle some hot stock into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper it. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot and cook over low heat, stirring until thickened. Do not boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the cabbage roll pie before serving, or serve it on the side.