Stuffed guinea fowl

Stuffed guinea fowl is one of the great dishes of the Italian tradition that we prefer; you must know, however, that preparing it will not be easy at all.

This time we have chosen artichokes, but other times we have used mushrooms, chestnuts depending on the inspiration!

What do you need

1 guinea fowl of about 900 g boned (net weight of waste)

3 black artichokes

200 g of sausage

100 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano

50 g of sandwich bread

1/2 glass of milk

1 egg

1 glass of dry Marsala

1 clove of garlic

bread crumbs

fresh marjoram

extra virgin olive oil

salt pepper

FOR THE BOUQUET GARNI*

1 sprig of rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 sage leaves

What do you need

Clean the artichokes by removing the stems, tips and tough outer leaves.

Cut them in half and deprive them of any beard.

Dip them in water and lemon, then drain and slice them thinly.

Peel the stems and cut them into slices. In a pan, let the extra virgin olive oil flavor together with the crushed garlic, then remove it and add the artichokes.

Season with salt and cook, covered, until they become soft, adding a little hot water if necessary in case they dry out too much. In a second pan, brown the casing-free and shelled sausage.

Leave to cool completely. In the meantime, flame the guinea fowl, in case there are feather residues, then wash it under running water and dry it with kitchen paper.

In a bowl mix the artichokes and the sausage together with the grated Parmesan, the bread previously soaked in milk and well squeezed and the egg.

Add a sprig of marjoram and mix everything together, seasoning with salt and pepper. If it's too wet, add a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs.

Open the guinea fowl, season the inside with salt and pepper (I used Bolognese brine), then stuff it with the prepared filling, distributing it well. Roll it up and close the ends by sewing them with kitchen thread.

Tie it tightly with string (wings included) and brown evenly in a saucepan in which you have heated 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Wet with the Marsala and let it evaporate, add the bouquet garni*, then cook, covered and over low heat, for about 1 hour and a half, taking care to turn the meat from time to time and add more wine if necessary.

Serve the guinea fowl cut into slices, sprinkling it with its cooking liquid and with the glazed onions.

* Note: bouquet garni is a French term for a bunch of aromatic herbs, usually tied with kitchen string, used to flavor soups, stews and stews. In the classic version it is made up of thyme, bay leaf and parsley, but the composition can vary according to the type of preparation and the aroma to be given. I close everything inside a sterile gauze, to prevent the leaves from dispersing in the cooking juices.