Stuffed Capon

Stuffed capon is a traditional Italian dish, typical of the Christmas period, but enjoyed all year round. This recipe is an Italian variation of the stuffed bird you might find in other international cuisines.

Ingredients

• 1 capon of about 2-3 kg
• 300 g of ground pork
• 300 g of ground veal
• 100 g of finely chopped pancetta
• 2 eggs
• 100 g of grated Parmigiano cheese
• 50 g of stale bread
• 100 ml of milk
• 50 g of pine nuts
• 50 g of golden raisins
• Grated zest of one lemon
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Meat broth to taste

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the stuffing. Soak the golden raisins in lukewarm water to rehydrate them. In a bowl, soften the stale bread in milk.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, ground veal, chopped pancetta, eggs, grated Parmigiano, chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, squeezed bread, pine nuts, and squeezed raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Knead the mixture until it becomes homogeneous.
4. Fill the capon with the stuffing, being careful not to overfill to allow the stuffing to expand during cooking.
5. Sew the opening of the capon closed or secure it with toothpicks to prevent the stuffing from coming out during cooking.
6. Tie the capon with kitchen string to maintain its shape during cooking.
7. Place the capon in a sufficiently large roasting pan and season it with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the capon, basting it occasionally with meat broth to keep the meat soft and succulent.
9. Cook for about 2 and a half/3 hours, depending on the size of the capon. It is important that the meat is well cooked but still juicy.

During cooking, I recommend covering the capon with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent the skin from burning and to keep it soft. Once the capon is well-browned and the meat is cooked, let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting to allow the juices to settle and the dish to stabilize for an optimal culinary experience.

Curiosity

The capon is a castrated rooster that is fattened for consumption as particularly tender and tasty meat. The tradition of serving stuffed capon on festive occasions has ancient roots, and each Italian region has its variation, often enriched with local ingredients.