Cappone Natalizio (Christmas Capon)

Cappone Natalizio (Christmas Capon)

Much like the American turkey and German goose, Capon has become Northern Italy's go-to for major holidays and celebrations. Capon is another name for a large (6-7 pounds) teenage chicken. A small turkey can gracefully replace the capon. Served atop Tagliatelle with Caramelized Oranges and Almonds, this dish is not only a showstopper worthy of celebration, but relatively easy to prepare.

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Course: Gluten-free, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Northern Italy

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 2 30

Total Time: 2 40

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Low-rimmed roasting pan, slightly larger than the bird
Baster (optional)
Instant read thermometer

Ingredients

7 lb Capon (or 10-12 lb turkey)
½ large Lemon
⅛ tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
Salt and coarse black pepper
3 oz Slab Prosciutto di Parma, coarsely chopped
½ cup Dry wine
½ cup Dry Marsala wine (or replace with another ½ cup white wine)

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Instructions

Advance Preparation - 24 hours before roasting, season the capon. Rinse bird under cold water, inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels and trim away any excess fat. Rub everywhere with the lemon half. Sprinkle the skin and cavity with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Tuck the chopped prosciutto into the cavity and place bird in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold the bird. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight and until you're ready to cook.
Roast Capon - Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Truss bird if desired. Lay it breast side down in the roasting pan. Roast capon 25 minutes per-pound (2½-3 hours). If using a turkey, allow 15 to 18 minutes per-pound. Bird will be done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170°F. (77°C).
After the first hour, begin basting the bird every 20 20 minutes, first with ⅓ of the white wine and then ⅓ of the Marsala wine and pan juices. With about 30 minutes left, turn the bird over breast-side up and baste.
To Serve - Transfer bird to a cutting board and let it rest for 20 minutes under a "tent" of aluminum foil. Pour the pan juices into a microwave safe bowl and place in the freezer. When ready to serve, separate the wings and drumsticks, slice the white meat into thick pieces and divide each thigh into three or 4 pieces. Arrange on a platter. Remove bowl with juices from the freezer and skim off fat from the top. Heat bowl in the Microwave until juices are hot. Pour over meat and serve. Scatter the prosciutto pieces over the meat and serve hot.

Notes

If the juices are drying out during Marsala basting, add a little water.

Nutrition