Runzas (Nebraska)
Submitted by: Dee Jay Gude
- 2 lbs ground beef
- bread dough - enough for 2 loaves
Note: you can make your dough fresh or use the frozen kind - it's all good- 1 lg. yellow onion
- 1 head green cabbage
- salt and pepper to taste
In a big pot (stockpot or Dutch oven), brown the ground beef with the onion, salt and pepper, crumbling as you go. Core the cabbage and chop it into thin-ish slices (not as thin as coleslaw but not big chunks). When the ground beef is done, add the cabbage and cook down until the cabbage is nice and soft. Note: if you have firm chunks of cabbage, it will poke through the bread dough and make you unhappy - cook it until it's very soft.
Roll out your bread dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 6"x6" squares. Cup one hand slightly and drape a dough square loosely over it, making sure the dough is resting against your palm and has even overlap on all sides. With the other hand, scoop up some beef and cabbage mixture and plop it in the palm of your dough covered hand, not too much because...then you're going to fold the dough overlap over the beef mixture in your hand, making sure it's tightly sealed. There, right in the palm of your hand, you have a Runza, one of the finest creations known to man!
Place the Runza, sealed side down, on a greased cookie sheet. Continue until you've used all the dough or Runza mix, whichever comes first. Let the Runzas sit and rest for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until they're golden brown. Call any Nebraska native friends you may have and say "Guess what I just did!" Prepare to have them beat a path to your door.
Note: For Cheese Runzas, place a half slice of American cheese (or cheddar or even Monterey Jack) in the dough palm before you plop in the beef mixture.
[ Last Updated: 05-Jan-2006 | Reader Comments Report Problem