Cappone Ripieno – A Traditional Italian Recipe
- 1025
Stuffed Capon
Cappone Ripieno became popular as a Christmas dish in Italy during the nineteenth century and has remained a staple of Italian Christmas celebrations ever since. The dish is frequently served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, as well as a rich pan drippings-based gravy. The origins of Cappone Ripieno are unknown, but it is thought to have begun in northern Italy, where capon was a popular ingredient in many dishes.
Ingredients (serves 8)
- 4 ½ lb Capon
- Ham
- Lard
- Butter
- 1 Stalk Celery
- 1 Carrot
- Thyme
- Marjoram
- Bay Leaf
- ½ Cup Marsala Wine
- 1 Cup Broth
- Potato Starch
- Black Truffle
- Salt
Preparation
Take off the capon’s head, feet and giblets, burn the bird, wash and dry it, then wrap it in a few slices of both fat and lean ham, keeping the slices in place with a string.
Use a saucepan big enough to contain the capon and lay a few lard slices at the bottom. Add 2 oz of butter, one celery stick finely sliced a carrot cubed finely, a sprig of thyme, a few marjoram leaves and a bay leaf.
On this aromatic base, lay the capon, pour half a glass of Marsala wine and a cup of stock over it, then season with salt to taste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top to seal it, and cook for about an hour over a medium flame.
Once the capon is cooked, remove it from the pan, remove the ham slices, the string, and keep warm. Remove the fat from the pan with a spoon and also take off the lard slices. Pour the cooking juice through a colander pressing the herbs with a wooden spoon, and pour all the juice into a small saucepan.
Put it on the heat and boil for a few minutes, then thicken it by adding a couple of teaspoons of potato starch, dissolved in a bit of water; and stir until nicely thick. Blend a small truffle finely sliced and a knob of butter into the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the bird which you have returned to the saucepan. Put the pan over the heat and allow the capon to flavor for a few more minutes. place the capon (obviously cut into pieces and reassembled) on a serving tray and serve hot with mashed carrots.
Stuffed Capon Cappone Ripieno became popular as a Christmas dish in Italy during the nineteenth century and has remained a staple of Italian Christmas celebrations ever since. The dish is frequently served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, as well as a rich pan drippings-based gravy. The origins of Cappone Ripieno are…
Stuffed Capon Cappone Ripieno became popular as a Christmas dish in Italy during the nineteenth century and has remained a staple of Italian Christmas celebrations ever since. The dish is frequently served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, as well as a rich pan drippings-based gravy. The origins of Cappone Ripieno are…