Beccaccia

The woodcock is not native to Italy, but it does fly over when migrating in spring and autumn. It has a long flat beak with brownish plumage to camouflage it in its natural woodland habitat. Its flesh has a wonderful flavour and it is one of the best-loved wild birds. Because it cannot be farmed, it is in short supply and as a result has been overhunted to the extent that in some parts of Italy the shooting or netting of this bird is forbidden.

Once caught, the woodcock should be hung for at least 5 days. It should only be plucked immediately before cooking. When plucking the feathers great care needs to be taken not to tear the skin, and it is also important not to wash the woodcock after plucking to retain flavour. Instead the bird should be singed over a flame to burn off any feather stubs. A small minority of purists prefer the woodcock undrawn for better flavour.