Gołąbki

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Gołąbki is a hearty traditional Polish dish consisting of boiled cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef, chopped onions, and rice, baked in a spicy tomato sauce; similar to a Cabbage roll.

Gołąbki is a plural form of gołąbek. Gołąb means pigeon, and gołąbek is a diminutive of it. In spite of its meaning, it isn't made from pigeon's meat.

Gołąbki are also referred to as golumpki, golabki, Golumpkies or Golumpkis. Similar Eastern European cabbage roll variations are called: Holupki (Slovak), Kaposzta (Hungarian), Holubtsi (Ukrainian), Golubtsy (Russian) or Sarma (Turkish loan-word, now commonly applied to some Southern Slavic versions of this dish, particularly in the Carpathian and Balkan regions.) Slovak immigrants to America called this dish, "pigs in a blanket."

Gołąbki rolls are usually fist-sized when fully stuffed or rolled. Spiced Pork is sometimes used instead of, or in addition to, beef.

There is an unverified story or myth that the King of Poland Kazimierz IV Jagiellon (Casimir) fed his army with gołąbki before a key battle outside of Malbork against the Teutonic Order around 1465. Victory over the Teutonic Order was partially credited to strength of the hearty meal of gołąbki given to the allied Polish and Prussian troops. The defeat of the Teutonic Order in Malbork led to the end of the Thirteen years' war, and the ceding of Prussia to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466.