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Escudella i carn d'olla is the magnificent Catalan equivalent of the French pot-au-feu or the Castilian cocido madrileño - a slow-cooked celebration of meats, sausages, vegetables, and legumes that traditionally fills both a first and second course. The golden broth enriched by hours of simmering is served first as a soup with galets - large shell-shaped pasta - alongside the pilota, a large spiced pork meatball that is the dish's spectacular centerpiece. This is the definitive dish of the Catalan Christmas table, dating back to medieval times, when it was shared by every social class as a sign of abundance. Each element - the broth, the meats, the vegetables - is savored in sequence as a ritual that takes the better part of an afternoon.
Prep
30 min
Cook
120 min
Total
150 min
Servings
6 srv
Difficulty
Hard
Calories
580 kcal
For 6 serving(s)
Per serving
Prepare the pilota by mixing ground pork with egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon; form into one large ball.
Place pork ribs, chicken pieces, pork belly, and smoked bacon in a large pot; cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and skim foam thoroughly.
Add the whole onion, leek, celery, carrot, and turnip; reduce heat to a very gentle simmer.
After 1 hour, add the soaked chickpeas and the pilota; continue simmering for another hour until all the meat is completely tender.
Add diced potato and sliced chorizo in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Strain the golden broth into a separate pot; cook the galets pasta in the broth until al dente.
Serve the galets in the broth as a first course, then serve the meats and vegetables sliced on a large platter as the main course.
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