Farcellets de col
Farcellets de col are a traditional Catalan dish—cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and gently cooked. Here’s a classic, home-style recipe, like you’d find in Catalonia.
Farcellets de col (Catalan Cabbage Rolls)
Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage (col)
- 250 g (½ lb) minced pork
- 250 g (½ lb) minced beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs (or soaked bread, squeezed dry)
- 2 tbsp milk
- Salt and black pepper
- Parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- Olive oil
For the sauce (traditional simple version)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste or grated tomato
- 1 glass dry white wine or broth
- 1–2 cups meat or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage
- Remove outer leaves.
- Boil whole cabbage (or separated leaves) in salted water 5–8 minutes until soft.
- Drain and let cool. Trim thick ribs so leaves fold easily.
- Make the filling
- Mix pork, beef, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- The mixture should be moist but firm.
- Form the farcellets
- Place a spoonful of filling on each cabbage leaf.
- Fold sides inward and roll tightly, like a parcel.
- Lightly brown
- Heat olive oil in a wide pan.
- Brown the farcellets gently on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Make the sauce
- In the same pan, sauté sliced onion until soft.
- Add tomato and cook 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine; let it reduce slightly.
- Simmer
- Return farcellets to the pan.
- Add broth to halfway cover.
- Simmer gently, covered, 30–40 minutes, turning once.
- Serve
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving—flavor improves.
Variations (Very Traditional)
- Add a picada at the end (garlic, parsley, almonds, bread)
- Use all pork or add sausage meat
- Some regions add a little cinnamon or nutmeg
If you want, I can also share:
- Farcellets de col amb arròs (with rice in the filling)
- Christmas-style version
- Vegetarian farcellets
- Or a slow-cooker adaptation
