La Cassoeula.
Cassoeula is one of the most significant historical dishes of Milan and Lombardy.
It is a typical winter dish.
The origin of the name derives from the word “casserole”, preferably in copper, used to prepare it.
Its origins are traced back to 1600 as it is well described in a recipe book of the Spanish court of the Aragonese.
It is a dish made from poor ingredients, cabbage and pieces of poorer meat resulting from the slaughter of the pig. The meat was used to flavor the cabbage which was the most abundant ingredient. Over time this dish, originally very poor, has been enriched with cuts of meat to later become that traditional dish we all know.
It would seem like a global dish as it is common in many European traditions, here are some examples: different recipes of French potée, the Alsatian Choucroute, the German Sauerkraut, the Polish Bigos and the German Kasseler. All mentioned dishes are based on cabbage and pork remains.
We could also add the “Sarme”, a Balkan dish consisting of minced pork with rice, pepper and spices, wrapped in cabbage leaves and left to macerate in water and salt.
Today Cassoeula is a much more sought after dish and its basic recipe is: Cabbage leaves, pig’s trotters, ears and pork rinds to cook for one hour.
How it is cooked?
Prepare the chopped onion, butter and oil separately. As soon as it turns golden, add spare ribs, luganega cut into slices and salami; add white wine. Then remove the meats after a while and add sliced celery and carrots, add tomato sauce and cook. Then add the chopped cabbage and place the meat on top.
Cassoeula should be served very hot and steaming. It must be served with slices of polenta.
It is advisable to accompany it with a sparkling wine, perhaps some good Lambrusco that goes well with the fat of this dish.
The name Lambrusco derives from labrum (margin of the fields) and ruscum (spontaneous plant). His “la-brusca” vine would be the one that grows uncultivated at the edge of the fields.
Direct testimonies come to us from the Latins and precisely from the poet Virgilio, native of Mantua.
We cannot fail to add the fact that, thanks to the rich imagination of the Italic peoples, there are many variations of Cassoeula in every part of Lombardy.
A variation to mention is that of the western Milan area which is called ragò and is prepared with goose meat.
Video – Camerè porta un mess liter –
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi
