Although in some parts and many recipes include celery leaves, parsley, and other seeds, I chose to keep the simplest recipe, because this is the one my grandmother used to make and with which I grew up. In previous years, I tried to prepare the filling according to recipes from cookbooks, but the result was not to my family's liking. So I decided to return to the origins, to the authentic tastes of my childhood.
We start by choosing the bell peppers, making sure they are approximately the same size. They are washed well, the stem and seeds are removed, and if necessary, the inner membranes are cut out. A little salt is added inside and they are arranged on a plate or in a dish, 4-5 pieces stacked on top of each other. The peppers will stay in the refrigerator, covered with a cloth or cheesecloth, for a day. My grandmother kept them in a jar, hung on a nail in the well, but the modern method is just as effective.
In the meantime, we take care of the cabbage. It is washed well, the first leaves are removed, and the stem is taken out. The cabbage is cut into thick slices of about 2 cm and chopped finely, either by hand or with a food processor. The carrots are peeled and grated on a grater, and the horseradish is peeled and cut into sticks the thickness of a pencil. We mix the cabbage with the carrots and a few peppercorns, lightly salting the mixture as if it should be salty for an immediate dish. It is important to rub the cabbage between our palms to release its juices, then cover it and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
The next day, we take the peppers and cabbage out of the refrigerator and prepare to stuff them. Before starting, make sure the jars and lids are clean and sterilized. At the bottom of the jars, we place sticks of dried dill, a few horseradish sticks, and some cloves of garlic. Then we arrange the peppers next to each other, interspersing horseradish sticks and a few cloves of garlic between them, possibly adding carrot rosettes for decoration. After finishing the first row, we repeat with two sticks of horseradish and a little dried dill, continuing with the second row of peppers. We proceed this way until we fill the jars, especially if we have large 10-liter jars.
On the stove, we put water to boil, adding about 30% salt for every liter of water (or less, depending on how salty the used salt is). It is recommended to taste the brine before using it to ensure it is suitable. We add peppercorns, about a tablespoon for each liter of water, and a few bay leaves. We let it boil for a few minutes, then add vinegar to taste, about 75-100 ml per liter of water. The resulting solution is poured hot over the peppers in the jars, sealed, and the jars are placed in trays, leaving them on the kitchen table to ferment. In a few days, they will start to ferment, and the liquid will come out a little around the lid, which is good as it will help seal the lid after drying. Once the water clears, we clean the jars and store them in the pantry, where they will remind us of the authentic tastes of summer, even on cold winter days.
We start by choosing the bell peppers, making sure they are approximately the same size. They are washed well, the stem and seeds are removed, and if necessary, the inner membranes are cut out. A little salt is added inside and they are arranged on a plate or in a dish, 4-5 pieces stacked on top of each other. The peppers will stay in the refrigerator, covered with a cloth or cheesecloth, for a day. My grandmother kept them in a jar, hung on a nail in the well, but the modern method is just as effective.
In the meantime, we take care of the cabbage. It is washed well, the first leaves are removed, and the stem is taken out. The cabbage is cut into thick slices of about 2 cm and chopped finely, either by hand or with a food processor. The carrots are peeled and grated on a grater, and the horseradish is peeled and cut into sticks the thickness of a pencil. We mix the cabbage with the carrots and a few peppercorns, lightly salting the mixture as if it should be salty for an immediate dish. It is important to rub the cabbage between our palms to release its juices, then cover it and let it sit in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
The next day, we take the peppers and cabbage out of the refrigerator and prepare to stuff them. Before starting, make sure the jars and lids are clean and sterilized. At the bottom of the jars, we place sticks of dried dill, a few horseradish sticks, and some cloves of garlic. Then we arrange the peppers next to each other, interspersing horseradish sticks and a few cloves of garlic between them, possibly adding carrot rosettes for decoration. After finishing the first row, we repeat with two sticks of horseradish and a little dried dill, continuing with the second row of peppers. We proceed this way until we fill the jars, especially if we have large 10-liter jars.
On the stove, we put water to boil, adding about 30% salt for every liter of water (or less, depending on how salty the used salt is). It is recommended to taste the brine before using it to ensure it is suitable. We add peppercorns, about a tablespoon for each liter of water, and a few bay leaves. We let it boil for a few minutes, then add vinegar to taste, about 75-100 ml per liter of water. The resulting solution is poured hot over the peppers in the jars, sealed, and the jars are placed in trays, leaving them on the kitchen table to ferment. In a few days, they will start to ferment, and the liquid will come out a little around the lid, which is good as it will help seal the lid after drying. Once the water clears, we clean the jars and store them in the pantry, where they will remind us of the authentic tastes of summer, even on cold winter days.
Ingredients
3 kg of white cabbage, 3 carrots, peppercorns, 1 tablespoon per liter of water, coarse salt (about one tablespoon per liter of water - be careful! Salt can vary in salinity), 1 root of horseradish, 30-40 bell peppers (depending on their size), vinegar, dried dill stalks, 1 large garlic, peeled, bay leaves 2-3 for each liter of water you use.