Polastro Imbotio

In this recipe from the Veneto, a whole chicken is stuffed with a combination of bold tastes, including pancetta, rosemary, sage and onion, which permeate the flesh as it is cooked. Once it is juicy, tender and cooked all the way through, it is jointed and the stuffing ingredients are discarded. It is certainly worth splashing out on a good-quality free-range or organic chicken with lots of flavour for this simple but classic Venetian favourite.