Name: Pittsburgh-Style Haluski
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 8 pieces, divided; 1 head green cabbage (2 pounds), cored and sliced thin; 2 onions , halved and sliced thin; 1 cup water; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1¼ teaspoons table salt , plus salt for cooking noodles; 12 ounces (6 cups) wide egg noodles; 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill , divided; 4–6 tablespoons sour cream

Why This Recipe Works

Haluski—a buttery combination of tender cabbage, onions, and egg noodles—is a comforting dish brought to America by Eastern European immigrants who flocked to Pittsburgh's booming steel mills in the 19th century. Inspired by the late Alexander Bodnar's Hungarian interpretation served at the now-closed Józsa Corner in Pittsburgh, we created a version in which the cabbage and onions are cooked slowly until deeply golden brown and bolstered with sweetness before tossing them with cooked egg noodles and extra butter. To quicken the process of cooking down the cabbage and onions, we added a hefty amount of salt to help draw out moisture from the vegetables, covered the skillet to trap the steam, and added water to create even more steam that allowed the vegetables to soften much faster. To keep the browning on the vegetables (and not stuck to the pan's surface), we cooked the vegetables in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Once the vegetables softened and reduced in volume, we removed the lid to let the excess liquid in the pan evaporate. Frequent stirring incorporated the browning vegetables back into the mix and kept the sugars from burning.

Before You Begin

Use a sharp knife or a food processor fitted with a slicing blade to slice the cabbage. Pennsylvania Dutch Wide Egg Noodles are the test kitchen's taste test winner. Serve with ham steak, kielbasa, roasted pork, or Instant Pot Transylvanian Goulash.

Instructions

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, onions, water, garlic, and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is softened, about 15 minutes. (Pan will be very full and lid may not fit at first; vegetables will decrease in volume as they cook.)

Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring often, until vegetables are deep golden brown and sticky, about 25 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain noodles and return to pot.

Off heat, add 1 tablespoon dill, cooked cabbage mixture, and remaining 4 tablespoons butter to noodles and toss until butter is melted and vegetables and noodles are evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon dill. Serve with sour cream.