împacheta

Împacheta is a Romanian noun derived from the verb a împacheta, meaning to wrap or to package. The word designates an object that has been wrapped, and in culinary usage, a dish in which a filling is enclosed by a wrapper made of dough, pastry, leaves, or other wrapping material and then cooked. The wrapper serves to contain the filling and to impart flavor and shape to the finished item.

In everyday language, împacheta can refer to a generic wrapped item, such as a package, parcel, or a confectionery item wrapped in paper or foil. In Romanian cuisine, the term is used informally to describe dishes where a filling is wrapped. Wrappers commonly used include dough for pastries, sheets of pastry or bread, and leafy wrappers such as cabbage or grape leaves; fillings may range from meat and rice to vegetables, cheese, or fruit, depending on regional and personal traditions.

The term is not a formal, standardized category in culinary nomenclature. Recipes and menus that describe wrapped dishes are usually named after the wrapper or the final form (for example, sarmale, plăcintă, or empanada-like preparations). As a result, împacheta functions more as a descriptive label than as a fixed dish, with its exact meaning varying by region, tradition, or household.

Related concepts include sarmale (meat and filling wrapped in leaves) and dolma (a similar wrapping technique found in various cuisines).