Capù

Capù, a variant of the Piedmontese name “capunet”, are cabbage rolls filled with ground meat and vegetables. They are a very tasty dish and representative of Piedmontese cuisine. Here is the traditional recipe:

Ingredients

• 12 cabbage leaves
• 300 g of ground veal
• 150 g of pork sausage
• 50 g of smoked pancetta
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1/2 glass of dry white wine
• 1 egg
• Breadcrumbs, as needed
• Grated Parmesan cheese, as needed
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Vegetable broth, as needed
• Butter, as needed

Preparation

1. Start by blanching the cabbage leaves in salted water for a few minutes to soften them, then drain them and pat them dry.
2. Prepare the filling by mixing the ground meat with the sausage taken out of its casing, the finely chopped pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery previously chopped and sautéed.
3. Add the white wine to the sauté and let it evaporate, then let the mixture cool down.
4. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, and grated Parmesan to the meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything well.
5. Take the cabbage leaves and place a portion of the filling in the center of each one.
6. Wrap the cabbage around the filling to form the rolls, making sure to close the sides well to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking.
7. Arrange the rolls in a buttered baking dish, pour some vegetable broth over them, and dot with butter.
8. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes. Halfway through cooking, uncover and let the surface gratinate.
9. Serve the capù hot, accompanied by their cooking sauce.

Curiosity

The “capunet” are traditionally a peasant dish, born from the need to use leftover meat and available vegetables. Today they are considered a refined dish of Piedmontese cuisine and are often found on restaurant menus in the region, especially during the fall and winter.