Capuns
Graubünden chard parcels of herby spätzle dough and dried meat
Capuns come from the valleys of Graubünden, where every village in the Surselva and Engadin has its own way of making them, and they are cooked on cold evenings and for festivals in mountain inns. A soft spätzle batter flavoured with herbs and little cubes of air-dried salsiz sausage and bacon is wrapped in chard leaves, then the parcels are poached in a mixture of milk and stock and finished with butter and grated mountain cheese. The salsiz and bacon are pork. Most first attempts fail because the dough is too runny to wrap; it should drop slowly off a spoon, like very thick porridge. Chef's tip: dip the chard leaves into boiling water for just 10 seconds so they turn supple enough to roll without tearing.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
For wrapping and cooking
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk 9 oz plain flour, 3 eggs, ½ cup whole milk and ¾ tsp salt in a bowl, then beat with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until the batter is smooth, thick and starts to blister. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Fry 2 ⅞ oz smoked streaky bacon in a dry pan over a medium heat for 4 minutes until it has given up its fat and is lightly crisp. Cool it slightly.
4 minStep 3: Stir the bacon, 2 ⅞ oz salsiz or other air-dried pork sausage and ⅔ oz mixed fresh parsley, chives and mint into the batter. It should drop slowly off a spoon; if runny, add a spoonful more flour.
Step 4: Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Dip 20 large Swiss chard leaves leaves a few at a time for 10 seconds, lift them out and lay them flat on a tea towel to drain.
Step 5: Put a heaped tablespoon of batter near the stem end of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll up into a parcel about the size of a finger. Repeat with all the leaves.
Step 6: Lay the parcels seam-side down, snugly, in a wide pan. Pour over 1 cup beef or vegetable stock and 1 cup whole milk; they should be half covered. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, until the dough inside is firm and cooked through when you cut one open.
20 minStep 7: Heat the grill. Transfer the capuns to an ovenproof dish with a little of the cooking liquid, dot with 1 oz butter and scatter over 2 ⅞ oz grated mountain cheese (Bergkäse or Gruyère). Grill for 4–5 minutes until bubbling and golden.
5 minStep 8: Serve hot with some of the cooking broth spooned over. Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat covered in the oven until piping hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does capuns take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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