Seasonal Cabbage and Noodles — A Bold Take on Classic Flavors from the European Union

This dish is a fresh, modern nod to a beloved classic from Central and Eastern Europe: cabbage and noodles. Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America reimagines and elevates the dish by using tagliatelle egg pasta with cuttlefish Ink for a briny, coastal twist. This pasta dish is a snapshot of European culinary traditions, blending Eastern European comfort with Mediterranean vibrancy in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

Get the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/european-products/seasonal-cabbage-and-noodles/

 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
[Music starts] This dish is a fresh modern nod to a beloved classic from central and eastern Europe:
cabbage and noodles. There are so many versions of this dish around Europe: Krautfleckerl
from Austria, Krpice sa Zeljem from Croatia and Haluski, which is popular in the Czech Republic,
Poland and Slovakia. I've reimagined and elevated the dish by using cuttlefish ink pasta for a

(00:25):
briny coastal twist. This pasta is a snapshot of European culinary traditions, blending Eastern
European comfort with Mediterranean vibrancy in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly
new. And it combines two of my most cherished food memories from childhood: pasta with butter
and stuffed cabbage. I'm sautéing the cabbage in Azeite de Trás-os-Montes, an olive oil with

(00:48):
PDO or protected designation of origin status from Portugal, which ensures it's made entirely in the
Trás-os-Montes region using traditional methods. You will taste a really complex flavor with notes
of spices, almonds, and dried fruit. In place of fresh cabbage, I'm using these tangy cabbage
leaves in brine from Bulgaria that I've chopped. I love the added flavor that the fermentation

(01:10):
process brings to the dish. I'm adding Belgian pickled onions that I've also chopped for an added
pop of acidity. I'm seasoning the cabbage with some Romanian oregano to add a bold and earthy
flavor that goes well with the pickling spices from the cabbage. To make the sauce, I'm going
to start by making a r with a little more of the Portuguese olive oil Azeite de Trás-os-Montes,

(01:32):
as well as some flour from the Czech Republic. I'm adding some garlicky flavor and enriching
the sauce by adding organic herb and garlic spread from Germany and a little bit of water.
With grandparents who immigrated from Eastern Europe, I was fortunate to grow
up in a household where I was introduced to the favorite and forgotten recipes of my ancestors,

(01:54):
most of whom I did not get a chance to ever meet. That looks perfect. Here I have tagliatelle,
an egg pasta with cuttlefish ink from Italy that I'll toss with a little more of the
Azeite de Trás-os-Montes. The pasta brings a beautiful black color and a subtle briny ocean

(02:15):
flavor that's not overpowering. Simple, friendly, and beloved in almost every corner of the earth,
pasta or noodles are an international comfort food and one that always put a smile on my face
as a child. Spoon some of the sauce on the plate and top with the sautéed cabbage and onions. Next,
top the sauce and cabbage with some of the pasta. I'm elevating the traditional meat

(02:40):
stuffing used in the stuffed cabbage dish that I grew up eating by adding this rich and savory
pork rillettes from France, which I fled and sautéed in olive oil for an added crispy texture.
To give the dish some extra creaminess and more garlic flavor,
I'm going to add little dots of garlic spread from Spain.

(03:02):
I'm plating the dish with more of these beautiful Belgian pickled onions for an
added pop of acidity. And lastly, I'll dot some of the Hungarian paprika paste on the plate for
some sweet smokiness and beautiful color. This pasta dish reminds me of the oral tradition and
precisely imprecise recipes that I cooked with my mother as a way to connect with my extended
family. The European ingredients add a familiar depth rooted in the same kind of tradition,

(03:27):
care, and history that made those moments so special. [Music closes]