What's a Runza?

If you have never visited Nebraska, then you probably aren't familiar with a Runza. 

Runza is the name of a regional fast food restaurant chain specializing in ethnic cuisine once served by the Volga German immigrants to the United States.

In 1949, Sarah "Sally" Everett and her brother, Alex Brening, opened the first Runza Drive-Inn in Lincoln, Nebraska, and began serving runza sandwiches, a type of pastry filled with ground beef, onion, and cabbage.


Today there are locations throughout Nebraska with two locations in Colorado - Ft. Collins and Loveland; two in Iowa - Council Bluffs and Clarinda, and two in Kansas - Lawrence and Mission.

If you can't get to any of these locations, then here's a recipe that will do it justice.



  2 loaves Rhodes bread dough

1 lb hamburger

1/2 head of cabbage (finely chopped)

1/2 medium onion (finely chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Thaw two loaves of frozen bread dough

While dough thaws, make the filling.

Brown the hamburger and drain, then return to pan.

Add cabbage and onion and cook down.

Salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp pepper recommended).

Let dough rise, then punch down and roll a portion to 1/4" thickness.

Cut into 4" x 8" pieces and add about 1/2 cup meat mixture to each.

Fold dough pieces over and seal the edges, then place seam-side-down on a greased cookie sheet.

Let rise 20-30 minutes, then bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown.

Serve warm.  Can be cooled and then frozen.  To reheat, just microwave for one minute.