Rolls of Savoy cabbage

At first glance these rolls might seem typical sarmale from the Balkans ... but it is a recipe, passed to me by my friend Lucia from Santo Spirito (Bari), which already for the presence of pecorino betrays another origin!
It is a very simple dish that is suitable for the fall season at the door.
And it is also a very poor preparation, like many vegetarian preparations (among other things), but no less rich in flavor!

It lends itself to being served as a first or a second course, as a side dish or even as a hot appetizer!
The following is my free interpretation of the dish that Lucia prepares.

Ingredients (for ten rolls):

Preparation:

Clean a dozen cabbage leaves (it is better to always have a couple more) quite large and cook them in lightly salted boiling water until softened. Drain them with a slotted spoon and reserve the cooking water.

Cook the rice in salted water until half cooked: it must be very al dente. If necessary add a spoonful of finely chopped cabbage trimmings.

In the meantime place the grated pecorino cheese or the finest diced eggs in a bowl, add the egg and pour in the just drained rice.
Mix, add the breadcrumbs and season with pepper and salt and then nutmeg, according to your taste.

Arrange one or two tablespoons of stuffing on each cabbage leaf and fold the end with the stem over the rice, then the side edges and then roll up. Stop with string ...

.. and brown in a pan with butter (I prefer to add even a little olive oil EVO) on all sides.
Cover halfway with the cooking liquid, adding granular vegetable broth or salt to taste.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 '/ 20' turning the rolls halfway through cooking.

Serve the rolls very hot.

ADVICE:

• For lovers of dishes with polenta there is a nice variation: place a sage leaf on the cabbage leaf and then the filling; after browning the rolls, sprinkle with a little red wine and let it evaporate before pouring in the cooking liquid, colored with a teaspoon of tomato paste. At the end of cooking, keeping the rolls aside warm, reduce the cooking juices with a walnut white roux. 
  Serve with polenta ... and here it is: polenta and vegetarian bones!
• Clearly the leftover cabbage or the parts of the leaves that remain too hard after cooking are not discarded: they are added to the minestrone that if it is not scheduled today it will certainly be tomorrow ...