The legendary Savoy Cabbage rolls are a traditional recipe from Piedmont: the name of those rolls is Capunet.
As all the recipes we propose, also this one calls for simple and seasonal ingredients. Savoy cabbage and a mix of meats, flavored with some fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese.
Traditionally, the Savoy Cabbage rolls are made out of leftovers, in particular to re-use the Christmas lunch meats. The recipes varies from family to family, but this one is the closest to tradition.
Just boil the cabbage leaves and prepare the filling. Ground pork and beef, with some mortadella; just a hint of garlic and fresh herbs with parmesan cheese. You can roast them in the oven or sauté in a pan; just add some tomatoes sauce if you prefer a testier flavor!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/4 lb ground mortadella
- 12 Savoy cabbage leaves
- 1/4 lb grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic slice
- EVO, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and Italian parsley to taste
Instructions
1- Boil the cabbage leaves for 1 minute and then cool them down immediately in cold water.
2- Thin the hard part of the leaves.
3- In a pan, pour some EVO and lightly brown the garlic slice. Add the rosemary and the meats. Cook to medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, and let it cool down. Preheat the oven to 320F.
4- To prepare the filling: mix the meats with the egg, the parmesan cheese, the finely chopped Italian parsley, and add salt to taste.
5- Put some of the filling in the center of one cabbage leaf, close it, and tie it with twine. Repeat with all the leaves.
6- Place all the capunets in a baking pan and roast them for 20 minutes or until they brown. Add a small oven-safe bowl with some water in the oven as well to preserve the softness of the food.
7- Alternatively, you can cook them in a frying pan. And you can add some tomatoes sauce (only EVO and tomatoes purée).
Out of curiosity
While we are writing this post, we are thinking that it is a curious coincidence that the cabbage we use for this dish is called “Savoy”.
In Italian there is no connection between this vegetable and the Savoy Family, while the recipe comes from Piedmont, where the influence of the Savoy is deeply-rooted.
Beside the Capunet – Savoy Cabbage rolls, the Savoy cabbage is a really versatile ingredient that you can use also for soups, like in this recipe Savoy Cabbage and Potatoes Puree Soup. The cabbage represents a healthy and nutritious winter vegetable that you can combine in different ways to have tasty food on your table.
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Ciao!
Martina and Elisa
