Ah, Farcellets de Col — a traditional Catalan (and generally Mediterranean) dish of stuffed cabbage leaves 🌿🥬. The cabbage leaves are usually filled with a savory mixture of meat, rice, and seasonings, then simmered in a flavorful sauce. It’s hearty, comforting, and perfect for a family meal.
🥬 Farcellets de Col (Stuffed Cabbage Leaves)
Ingredients (4–6 servings)
For the cabbage leaves:
- 1 large head of cabbage
- Salt (for blanching water)
For the filling:
- ½ lb (225 g) ground beef
- ½ lb (225 g) ground pork
- ½ cup (100 g) cooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
For the sauce:
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup (120 ml) water or broth
- 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the cabbage
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Carefully separate the cabbage leaves.
- Blanch leaves for 2–3 minutes until pliable. Drain and cool slightly.
Step 2: Make the filling
- In a bowl, combine ground meats, cooked rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix thoroughly.
Step 3: Stuff the cabbage
- Lay a cabbage leaf flat. Place 2–3 tbsp of filling near the base of the leaf.
- Fold sides over the filling and roll tightly into a neat parcel. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
Step 4: Cook the farcellets
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Pour in tomato sauce and water/broth, season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
- Place stuffed cabbage parcels seam-side down in the sauce.
- Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until meat is cooked and flavors meld.
Step 5: Serve
- Serve hot, spooning sauce over the farcellets.
- Often accompanied by bread or boiled potatoes.
Tips
- Rice: Some recipes use partially cooked rice; others use raw rice, which cooks in the sauce.
- Cabbage leaves: Choose large, intact leaves for easy rolling. Remove thick stems for pliability.
- Can add a splash of white wine to the sauce for extra depth.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, as flavors meld overnight.
If you want, I can also give a Hungarian-style version of stuffed cabbage (Töltött Káposzta), which uses smoked pork and sauerkraut for a more rustic, hearty flavor.
Do you want the Hungarian version too?
