Ingredients :

• Green cabbage (or Savoy cabbage) — Savoy cabbage is easier to work with — its crinkled leaves pull away without tearing. A regular green cabbage also works but requires more attention during blanching. Choose a large, dense head, at least 1.2 kg.
• Ground beef 15% fat — Not 5%. Fat is what prevents the filling from becoming a dry, grainy lump. Beef that is too lean results in a flavorless outcome. 15% is the right balance — neither dry nor greasy.
• Short-grain rice — Classic round/short-grain rice absorbs the broth within the filling without bursting during cooking. Definitely no basmati rice: it cooks too fast, doesn’t hold up, and makes the filling crumbly.
• Canned crushed tomatoes — A can of whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand gives more flavor than industrial crushed ones. Less water, more flesh. As long as the tomatoes are Italian, the brand doesn’t matter much.