PIACENTINI VERZOLINI (SAVOY CABBAGE ROLLS). Verzolini are a typical dish of the Piacenza cuisine, made with large savoy cabbage leaves, and a filling of meat, vegetables, and cheese. Their history is ancient, dating back to the Middle Ages, when they were eaten by peasants as a poor man’s dish.
The verzolini recipe has been passed down from generation to generation and today is one of the most popular dishes in Piacenza cuisine. A typical winter dish, they are usually prepared after the cabbages have “caught the frost” and are more flavorful. The preparation of verzolini is quite simple. The filling is prepared with minced beef, or you can use any leftover boiled meat, pork sausage, cooked ham (optional), and grated cheese. The filling is then spread on the cabbage leaf and rolled up like a package. The verzolini are then baked in the oven with tomato sauce and a drizzle of oil.
The Piacenza verzolini (savoy cabbage rolls) are perfect as a main course and can be served with fresh bread or croutons. Their bold and aromatic flavor pairs perfectly with full-bodied red wines, such as Gutturnio DOC or Barbera DOC.
Below are other Piacenza recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 195.31 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.75 (g) of which sugars 1.41 (g)
- Proteins 14.80 (g)
- Fat 12.00 (g) of which saturated 1.39 (g)of which unsaturated 0.81 (g)
- Fibers 1.32 (g)
- Sodium 1,055.48 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 115 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 head savoy cabbage
- 7 oz sausage
- to taste chopped parsley
- 1 clove Piacenza white garlic (chopped)
- 0.7 oz Grana Padano, grated
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste nutmeg
- 7 oz beef (minced)
- 1 oz breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- to taste tomato sauce
- 1 white onion
Tools
- Baking Pan NAMAI Rectangular Baking Pan 8.7in x 11.8in – Nonstick – Dishwasher Safe – Aluminum – Stone Effect Design (8.7in x 11.8in)
- Frying Pan Lagostina Ingenio Essential Plus Frying Pan Ø 9.5in, Nonstick Aluminum Pan for Gas and Oven, with Thermosignal Cooking Indicator, Compatible with Removable Handle
Steps
In a pan, sauté the finely chopped onion, add the garlic and parsley, the meat, and the crumbled sausage, and let it cook on low heat.
Once ready, remove from the heat, place the mixture in a bowl, add the grated Grana Padano, breadcrumbs, egg, pepper, nutmeg, and adjust with salt.
Wash the cabbage leaves, and blanch them in salted water, drain and remove the vein. Gently pound them with a meat tenderizer, fill them with the stuffing, roll them up like a package, and place them in a lightly oiled baking dish, cover the verzolini with 3 or 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce, a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of Grana Padano. Bake to gratinate everything at 356°F until they form a light crust. Serve hot, enjoy your meal
This dish was created to use leftover meat, so in the filling, you can use leftover meat. Verzolini can be frozen; once prepared without further cooking, you can store them in the freezer in special bags for about a couple of months.
