As a kid, I loved to watch the first flatbread being cooked. My grandma always knew I would ask for the first one, so she had a plate prepared for me. Almost burning my fingers, I would sit quietly and enjoy it, focusing on the rich taste, and wiggle at the pleasant contrast of the ice cold sour cream on top of the hot, steaming flatbread. The cabbage filled ones still are my all-time favourites (and they were my granny’s as well).
She would make them regularly and always have a few other fillings so everyone could pick their favourite: cooked potatoes mixed with sweet sauteed onions, salty and umami cheeses mixed with dill and green onions, or fresh cottage cheese mixed with sugar and loads of vanilla and lemon zest.
For me, these Stuffed Flatbreads are a symbol of my region, Transylvania, as well as my family. They are more like a snack, a super comforting one. It’s a type of food that equally excites both children and adults.
I love making them exactly how my grandma taught me: as thin as possible, with as much filling as I can stuff in. They are impossible to resist!
MAKING PLĂCINTE
(Vegetarian / plant-based option included)
You’ll need
Braised cabbage filling:
700 g white cabbage, shredded
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tsp finely chopped dill
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 tsp vegetable oil
Dough:
600 g all-purpose flour
350 ml of warm water
5 g dried yeast
30 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 tsp
10 g brown sugar
10 g salt
Other:
200 ml sour cream / greek yogurt (to make it vegan, simply replace with a full fat plant-based yogurt or plant-based sour cream)
Method
Start by preparing the filling: place the shredded cabbage in a big bowl and add the salt. Mix well with your hands so the salt gets well distributed on the cabbage. You can squeeze it 2-3 times, using your hands, to soften it. For now, leave it aside for 10 minutes and prepare the flatbread dough.
In a mixer bowl, add flour, yeast and sugar. Mix to combine everything. 3. Add water, oil and salt. Knead until everything is well combined. If it’s too dry to work with, add no more than 10-20 ml of warm water. Knead for 7 minutes to develop the gluten, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Form a ball using your hands and place it on a piece of parchment paper on an oiled surface.
Check if the inside of your bowl is clean enough (with no dough excess) and grease it with 1 tsp of olive oil.
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover well with cling film. Let it proof in a warm place for about half an hour. Depending on how warm or cold your place is, it might take less ( ±20 mins) or more (±45 mins). You will know the dough is proofed when it has doubled in size.
Back on the filling: heat 3 tsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté on medium heat, until translucent.
Now you can add the cabbage and cook on low to medium heat. Stir from time to time and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. A good, fresh shredded cabbage usually contains a lot of juice that will help the cabbage to cook in, but if your cabbage is too dry and sticks to the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water.
When the cabbage is done, turn the heat off and add the chopped dill and lots of black pepper. Tatse and adjust with salt if needed. Mix well and leave aside to cool off completely.
Time to shape the flatbreads: when the dough has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl and place it on a floured table. Divide into 8 parts and form each part in a ball-shaped dough. Leave them to rest on the table, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet on low to medium heat and lightly grease it with a paper towel.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a large circle of 18-20 cm diameter that's fairly thin, one at a time.
Take a spoonful (or more) of the braised cabbage, place it in the middle, and spread in the center, leaving 4-5 cm of the edges plain. Then, use the edges of the dough to enclose the filling in a similar round shape. Remove as much air as possible from inside and pinch the dough to seal. Add a bit of flour on top so it’s eary to work with the rolling pin.
Flatten the pockets lightly with your hand and shape again into a disc, using a rolling pin to flatten it out. Try to do it gently, so the dough doesn't break - that will cause the cabbage to come out and burn when cooking.
Place the stuffed flatbread on the heated cast-iron skillet - cook the first side for 2-3 minutes on medium to high heat. Use an egg flip to check if it' s ready to turn: the underside should be golden brown with deep brown patches .
Turn the flatbread over and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes . 16. Take it out and place it on a wide plate. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep it moist and soft.
Repeat the process for the rest of the ball shaped doughs.
Serve warm or cold with your preferred sour cream or greek yogurt.
Notes: Keep the flatbreads covered well with a kitchen towel at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can keep them for longer in the fridge, and heat them in the microwave, oven or on the stove just before serving.
Bujor Maria
Born 1937, Romania
Grandchildren, Adriana, Cristi, Diana, Ana
My grandmother was a strong and wise woman. She was a master of food and she would cook large quantities, enough for almost three families. As Romanians, we have this reputation of being very hospitable, serving a feast to anyone who comes by, even if it’s a very short visit.
I remember her taking so much care of the garden and the little chickens; she would wake up in the middle of the night to give them food and water. The garden was organized and abundant until late autumn: from the first spring onions and leaves of spinach, all the way to big heads of cabbage, beetroots and pumpkins. At the back of the garden, we rushed to the apple and plum trees, with their branches weighing down from so many fruits.
Often worried and stressed about making sense of the injustices around us, she gave her help to anyone in need and she was a problem solver, an optimist, an empath and an upright woman. She was the heart and head of the family.
In my childhood and teenage years, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, helping around by doing the dishes, kneading or looking for ingredients to help her — Other times, I was just watching and listening. I was amazed by her cheerfulness, regardless of the infinite chores that she had.
Now I sometimes catch myself remembering clear bits of a condiment she would add, her words describing a flavour, a cooking technique gesture. Through these momentary acts, she passed me her joy of cooking and something more.
My grandma passed away in 2019. It was a couple of rough years for all of us but now the sorrow is absorbed by a warm feeling of gratitude; I feel touched and extremely lucky to have had her in my life.
She would be so happy to know her plăcinte being shared with the rest of the world.
About Ana
A plant-based chef, food stylist and photographer, Ana Rusu was raised in a small Romanian town and cites her grandmother as a main culinary influence in her life. Follow her @herbs_and_roots for delicious vegan and veggie recipe inspiration.