Recipe of the Day (#ROTD)

A Kendall Oberto Recipe

These handheld delights are a favorite of my kids and disappear fast. They are a little time consuming but worth it.  As long as I am at it, I generally make a double batch preparing the filling one day then forming and baking them off the following day.

Ingredients:

8-10 slices bacon

1/2 medium head of cabbage finely shredded

1 large onion diced small

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 pound lean ground beef (90% or above)

1/2 head roasted garlic (see notes) minced

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

onion powder, garlic powder and salt to taste (probably about 1/2 teaspoon each)

12 Rhodes Texas white rolls 

12 slices American, cheddar, provolone or munster cheese

egg wash (1 egg whisked together with 3T water)

sesame and/or poppy seeds

Directions:

Start by roasting garlic (see Notes below)

Defrost dough balls according to directions. I usually use the “quick method” with the water in the oven and start it when the cabbage is about done, otherwise the dough will be over risen. I recommend spraying the frozen dough with some vegetable or olive oil spray and covering with plastic wrap to keep them from getting crusty while rising with this method. 

In a large skillet, fry bacon to crispy, saving about 1-2 tablespoons of the grease in pan. Remove bacon, drain, cool, and chop finely.

Fry onion in bacon grease until translucent, add cabbage, caraway seed, salt, Worcestershire and about 1/2 cup of water and cook on med to med-low heat, covered, until limp and translucent. Check often, mix and add water as needed to prevent the cabbage from browning. This step usually takes about 45 minutes. 

In a separate pan, brown the ground beef and drain.  Once cabbage is done, add the beef, roasted garlic, seasonings and crumbled bacon to cabbage. 

Let cook together about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings.

Cool filling while waiting for dough to be ready, or you can freeze filling at this point.

Roll the dough balls out to about 7-8 inches in diameter, on floured board.

Brush edges of dough with egg wash, place a slice of cheese on dough and then add a generous 1/3 cup of filling. 

Fold over to 1/2 moon shape and crimp edges with a fork or roll the edge to look like a pierogi. Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame and/or poppy seeds.  Place on parchment paper lines baking sheets (they will leak a bit and this will aid cleanup) and bake about 20-30 minutes at 350 or until golden brown.

Notes:

To roast the garlic, slice about 1/4 inch off top of whole head.  Place on tin foil, sprinkle with 1T olive oil, a little salt and pepper and a pat of butter.  Wrap tightly and roast in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Once done, cool, remove cloves and mince to put in filling.

Don’t substitute regular dinner rolls, they are not big enough.  You can substitute Rhodes White bread loaves which can be rolled out and cut into 8 pieces to form 8 burgers.  

Completed burgers may be served plain or with standard beef gravy. Burgers freeze well but reheat them in the oven vs. the microwave or they will be soggy. Also, if you know you are going to freeze some, don’t let them get quite as brown during the initial cooking.

Happy Eating!!