Piccione Ripieno di Castagne

Name: Piccione Ripieno di Castagne (Pan-roasted Bresse Pigeon with Chestnuts)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; ¼ nutmeg, grated; 100 g (4 oz) pancetta affumicata, chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves; 6 Bresse pigeons (not wild pigeons); 6 slices prosciutto; 450 g (1 lb) fresh chestnuts or 250 g (9 oz) vacuum-packed peeled chestnuts; 175 g (6 oz) fresh belly of pork, minced; 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 150 ml (5 fl oz) Dolcetta wine from Piedmont; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; 1 teaspoon crushed juniper berries; 150 ml (5 fl oz) Dolcetta wine

Pan-roasted Bresse Pigeon with Chestnuts

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The River Café Cookbook

By Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

Published 1995

About

Ingredients

6 Bresse pigeons (not wild pigeons)
6 slices prosciutto
1 tablespoon<

Europe
Italy
Main course
Gluten-free
Mediterranean

Method

Make the stuffing. To prepare the fresh chestnuts, make a cut in the skin on the flat side. Grill on both sides, then place immediately into a bowl lined with a dampened hot cloth. Cover with the cloth and leave until cool enough to handle. The skins should come off very easily. Break the chestnuts into small pieces.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft, about 10 minutes.