A few tips
•  Salt is required to make sauerkraut or pickles (about one per cent of the weight of the vegetables). Do not use iodized salt, as iodine prevents good fermentation. Pure salt is on sale in supermarkets. It can be coarse, as it will dissolve.
•  Cleanliness is of utmost importance.
•  The weights should provide the necessary pressure to keep the vegetables submerged in their juice. If the weights had to be replaced for some reason, never use limestone, as it would react with the lactic acid produced in the fermentation process.
•  Monitor the evaporation of the water in the water grove. Lift only the lid when necessary.

Making sauerkraut is very simple. Here is a recipe
•  Choose large and tight cabbages. Five cabbages for a 12-litre pot should do.
•  Remove wilted or damaged leaves.
•  Weigh the cabbages and prepare one per cent of their weight in salt.
•  Remove stalk and shred finely in a large bowl using a large and sharp knife, or a cabbage shredder.
•  Add the shredded cabbage to the pot, 5cm at a time, and compact with a masher or with the fist; sprinkle some salt, add some spices like bay leaves, cumin seeds, and/or juniper berries.
•  Repeat layer after layer. At the end, add the remainder of the salt, cover with two or three whole cabbage leaves and place the weights on top.
•  Keep at room temperature for a few days, then find a cooler spot (12 to 18°C if possible)
•  Bubbling indicates the beginning of fermentation.
•  After three days or so, press on the weights and check the level of the liquid. If necessary, add some cool boiled water to keep the vegetables covered.
•  After four weeks, the sauerkraut should be ready. It is advisable to remove some sauerkraut at least once a week, testing to avoid the flavour becoming too strong. Otherwise remove some juice and add cool boiled water.

Our favourite recipe, the sauerkraut pie (for four to six people)
Ingredients:
- pie crust (about 300g)
- 200g raw sauerkraut (it can be washed quickly to remove some of the salt)
- 1 large onion
- 6 olives
- 3 pinches nutmeg
- 2 Tsp oil

Line the pie dish with the crust. Spread evenly the sauerkraut. Top with very finely shredded onion. Garnish with olives cut small, sprinkle nutmeg and oil over the whole surface. Bake in a hot oven for 20–25 minutes. The onions will take some colour. Cover with foil if colour too dark. The sauerkraut will still be raw, although hot. Serve hot.