Valerio Nucci

Roasted stuffed quails

Ingredients

6 Large Quails 330g veal or chicken mince
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
60 gms butter
1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
15 chopped sage leaves
1 chopped clove garlic
20 peeled shallots
1chopped chicken liver
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 glass white wine
Water or white stock Salt and pepper

Method

Bone the quail from the back leaving in only the wings and leg bones.

Make stuffing: In a bowl mix the parmesan, parsley, sage, liver, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place a ball of stuffing in each quail, close with a toothpick and tie the legs and wings.

In a pan heat the remaining oil and butter.

Place the quail in the pan and slowly brown on all sides, season add the wine, cover with a lid and cook on a moderate heat for approx 45 minutes adding a little water or stock when necessary and turning the quail from time to time. Add the shallots and cook for an extra 15 minutes or until shallots are soft.

Serve with spatzle. Spoon sauce over the quail and the spatzle.

Ingredients

250 gms plain flour
200ml milk
2 eggs
Pinch nutmeg
White pepper Salt

Method

Melted butter

Chopped parsley

Place dry ingredients in a bowl, form a well in the centre.

Add eggs and milk, mix by hand to a thin batter, mixing it until smooth.

Rest for 20 minutes

Pour the mix through the hole of a spatzle maker into plenty of boiling water to form dumplings.

Scoop put when dumplings rise to the top of the water.

Toss in melted butter

A Colander with large holes can be used instead of spatzle maker.