Fagiano Arrosto Alla Saverio Di Nulvi Food

PANE DI ZIBIBBO DI SANT' ELENA IN QUARTù

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the yeast with 1 cup warm water, the dark brown sugar, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, stirring, giving the yeast a bit of stimulus from the sugar and flour. Set the bowl aside for 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining flour, the sea salt, the honey, the olive oil, and the remaining cup of warm water, incorporating the components well. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work space and knead it for 8 to 10 minutes to a smooth resiliency. Work in the raisins and the almonds and knead another minute or two. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covering it tightly with plastic wrap, permitting it to double its bulk-about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cut the dough in two, covering the waiting piece with a damp kitchen towel while you work with the first. Using a wooden rolling pin or your hands, press the dough into a rough sort of rectangle-about 12 by 8 inches. Roll up the rectangle on its longer edge, forming a tight cylinder. Roll and stretch the cylinder into a rope of 16 to 18 inches in length and curve it into a semicircle. Using a razor blade or a small, very sharp knife, slash the two ends of the semicircle with 10 or 12 closely placed vertical cuts, each about 3 inches long, almost forming fringes.
• Line metal baking tins with baker's parchment and sprinkle the paper lightly with semolina. Position the loaves on the tins, covering them with clean kitchen towels and permitting them to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until their bulk has doubled.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with baking stones, if desired. If you are using baking stones, sprinkle the hot stones lightly with semolina before sliding the loaves onto them. Alternatively, place the loaves into the oven on the metal sheets.
• Bake the breads for 35 minutes or until they are deeply golden and have formed a thick hard crust. The process of misting will help accomplish this (page 214). Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool thoroughly. At table, break rather than slice them.

FAGIANO ARROSTO ALLA SAVERIO DI NULVI

Steps:

• Pierce the casings of the sausages and poach them for 5 minutes in barely simmering water. Drain and cool the sausages. Remove their casings and mince.
• In a sauté pan over a medium flame, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and brown the minced, poached sausages, rolling them about in the fat and crisping them. Add the onion, softening it a bit in the fat, before adding the pheasant livers, breaking them up and amalgamating them with the sausage and the onion. Sprinkle on the sea salt and generously grind pepper over all. Add 1/3 cup of the moscato, letting it evaporate. Add the zest and the sage, combine the components well.
• Fill the cavities of the pheasants with the stuffing. Bind their legs with butcher's twine.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a shallow terra-cotta or enameled cast-iron casserole over a lively flame, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and, one at a time, seal the birds, browning them well on all sides, then removing them to a holding plate.
• After the birds are sealed, lay 4 slices of pancetta over each of their breasts. Rinse the still-hot casserole with the remaining 1/3 cup of moscato and 1 cup of the red wine, stirring, scraping at the residue, and permitting the liquid to reduce for several minutes. Replace the birds in their casserole, cover them with the herb branches, and roast the pheasant for 1/2 hour or a bit longer, only until the flesh under a leg joint is rosy. Roasting a pheasant to grayness seems a sad thing to do. Remove the birds to a holding plate.
• Place the casserole over a lively flame, add the remaining cup of wine, stirring, scraping at the residue, permitting it to reduce for 5 minutes. Whack each bird in two at its breastbone. Lay the halves over a warmed, shallow platter and pour the pan juices over all.
• Having, perhaps, begun the feast with the crostata di patate di Biddamanna (page 228), one might present the luscious birds with a dish borrowed from Basilicata-brasato di funghi con aglianico del Vùlture (page 150) or the spiced chestnuts from Nicola Taurino (page 148). In any case, have at the ready warm bread for the juices and jugs of the same good red wine in which the birds were cooked.