| Escudella i carn d'olla | |
| Alternate Name: | Escudella |
| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | |
| Type: | Soup |
| Main Ingredient: | Pilota (large spiced meatball), vegetables |
| Variations: | Escudella de pagès |
Escudella i carn d'olla, or shorter escudella (pronounced as /ca/;), is a traditional Catalan and Valencian soup made with meat and vegetables.[1] Francesc Eiximenis wrote in the 14th century that it was eaten every day by Catalan people.[2]
It is characterized by the use of a pilota, a very big meatball spiced with garlic and parsley; it also contains vegetables as celery, cabbage, carrots, etc. depending on the season. Additionally, bones, sausages called botifarra, and other types of meat, can be used. In historical times, a type called escudella de pagès, which had pasta and rice, was traditionally made on Thursdays and Sundays.
Escudella is typically served in two parts:
When both parts are served mixed together, it is called escudella barrejada.
There is a particular version of this soup that can be called "escudella de Nadal" (Christmas soup) or either "sopa de galets" (galets' soup), and is very typical on Christmas Day.[4] It includes meat from four different animals, a pilota, several vegetables and the traditional special type of pasta, known as galets, which are snail-shaped and notable for their considerable size.