An Eastern European 'Spag Bol' Recipe
by Alissa Timoshkina
-
Easy
This whimsically titled recipe is inspired by my four-year-old daughter, Rosie. Like many kids her age she is a big fan of the good old spaghetti Bolognese, but unlike many kids (that I know of) she is an equally huge fan of sauerkraut. When she was a toddler, she used to refer to my homemade fermented cabbage as ‘cabbagey noodles’. And rightly so, the long thin strips of cabbage are indeed very similar in shape to noodles. This gave me an idea to try a recipe where long cabbage stips would play the part of Italian pasta, and what could make for a better pairing with those than a Hungarian style sauce, richly flavoured with caraway, fennel seeds, dill and paprika. Rosie approved! And I hope so would you.
This recipe is extracted is from Kapusta by Alissa Timoshkina (Quadrille, £28). Photograhy © Laura Edwards. Author photo credit: Lizzie Mayson
Ingredients for Eastern European 'Spag Bol' Serves: 4
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon Eastern European spice mix (1/2 teaspoon of each: coriander seeds, caraway seeds, fennel seeds lightly toasted and coarsely pounded)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
- 400g (14oz) minced (ground) beef or 200g (7oz) cooked green lentils and 200g (7oz) grated raw mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 x 400g (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 1 small cabbage (weighing approx. 450g/1lb)
- 1 small bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Method for Eastern European 'Spag Bol'
- Heat the oil in a large casserole or ovenproof lidded frying pan and fry the onion and carrot with the dried dill, all the spices and a generous pinch of salt for 10 minutes over a medium heat.
- Mix in the beef, season with salt, and cover with the lid. Cook for 5 minutes for the veggie version and 10 minutes for the meat version, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, mix well for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover with the lid and simmer for 8–10 minutes while you prepare the cabbage.
- Using a knife or a mandoline, cut the cabbage into long strips resembling Italian tagliatelle.
- Add the cabbage on top of the sauce, so that it retains its colour, season with salt, coveauthorr with the lid and cook until the cabbage is soft but still retains bite. At the end of the cooking, stir the cabbage through the sauce, generously sprinkle with the dill and serve with an optional dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche.
About the author
Alissa Timoshkina is a chef, curator, and supper club host with a PhD in film history. Her recipes are featured in the Guardian, Red Magazine, Olive Magazine, the Independent, and House & Garden. In 2017, she was shortlisted for the 2017 Young British Foodie Awards.
