Method

• 1.
  Remove stem of cabbage by cutting around the base. Half-fill a large deep saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Gently place cabbage in the pan, stem-side down, top with extra water to cover if required and weigh down with a small lid or plate to help submerge cabbage. Cook for 8 minutes or until outer leaves are soft. Using tongs and a large slotted spoon, carefully remove cabbage from water. Remove the first layer of 3-4 cabbage leaves and transfer to a tray lined with a clean tea towel to drain and cool. Return cabbage to pan and continue to cook, removing 2-3 leaves every 2-3 minutes (top up water if required) and transferring to tray, until you have removed all the leaves.
• 2.
  Cook pearl barley according to packet instructions, then drain and rinse under cold running water.
• 3.
  Combine pearl barley, pork sausage meat, minced clobasi, egg, zest, herbs and half the onion and half the garlic in a bowl, season and stir to combine.
• 4.
  Place a cabbage leaf on a clean work surface, stem-side facing you. Using a sharp knife, remove and discard thick stalk. Place 1/4 cup (60g) sausage mixture on the leaf, 3cm from the bottom. Fold up 3cm of leaf to cover the filling, then fold in the sides and roll leaf away from you to seal in the filling. Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture. Set aside.
• 5.
  Preheat oven to 180°C.
• 6.
  Heat 2 tbs oil in a large ovenproof frypan with a lid over medium heat. Add remaining onion and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add passata, 3/4 cup (180ml) water, bay leaves, caraway seeds and sugar. Season and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Turn off heat and transfer one-third of the sauce to a jug.
• 7.
  Place cabbage rolls, side-by-side with the seam-side facing down, in the frypan on top of remaining sauce so that they fit snugly. Spoon over reserved sauce.
• 8.
  Cover with a lid and bake for 1 hour, then remove lid, drizzle with remaining 1 tbs oil and bake for a further 15 minutes.
• 9.
  Set aside for 15 minutes to cool, then serve scattered with extra herbs, pickled onion and cornichons.