Ah! You’re asking about “Farcellets de col”, which is Catalan/Spanish for cabbage rolls—delicate cabbage leaves stuffed with a savory filling, usually meat and rice, then cooked in a sauce. 🥬🍖
Here’s a classic way to make them:
Farcellets de Col (Cabbage Rolls)
Ingredients
Cabbage:
- 1 large cabbage (green or Savoy)
- Salt (for boiling)
Filling:
- ½ lb (225 g) ground beef or a mix of beef and pork
- ½ cup cooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt & pepper
- Optional: pinch of nutmeg or paprika
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Cabbage
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Core the cabbage and carefully separate leaves.
- Blanch leaves 2–3 minutes until soft, then drain and cool.
- Trim thick vein at base of leaves for easier rolling.
2. Make the Filling
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Mix thoroughly.
3. Assemble Rolls
- Place 1–2 tbsp filling on each leaf.
- Fold sides over and roll tightly to enclose filling.
4. Cook Rolls
- In a deep skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Add crushed tomatoes, broth, sugar, and paprika; bring to a simmer.
- Nestle cabbage rolls in sauce, seam-side down.
- Cover and simmer 30–40 minutes until filling is cooked and flavors meld.
Serving
- Serve hot, spooning sauce over the rolls.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream if desired.
- Excellent with mashed potatoes, bread, or a light salad.
Tips
- Make-ahead: Rolls taste even better if made a day ahead—the flavors deepen.
- Rice-free option: Use breadcrumbs or finely chopped vegetables.
- Variations: Some Catalan versions add pine nuts, raisins, or cured ham to the filling for extra flavor.
If you want, I can give a more authentic Catalan version with pork, cured ham, and a rich sofregit tomato sauce that’s exactly like in Catalonia.
Do you want me to do that?
