How to make the Polenta e osei:
place 1 slice of pancetta on each
beef fillet. Cover with a piece of sage and roll into a tight cylinder. Do
the same for the pork and veal. Thread the rolled meats onto the skewers,
alternating with chunks of sausage and cubes of pancetta.
Meanwhile, make the polenta: Bring 8 cups salted water to a rolling boil
over medium heat in a heavy-gauge saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, pour
in the polenta in a steady stream, and cook, whisking frequently until the
polenta comes away from the sides of the pan and the whisk stands up by
itself in the center of the polenta.
While the polenta is cooking, heat the butter in a skillet over low to
moderate heat and cook the skewers a few minutes per side until golden.
Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 15 minutes, adding
broth as necessary to keep the meats from sticking.
Spoon the cooked polenta onto a serving platter. Stick the skewers into
the surface of the polenta so that they are standing up straight, and
serve the Polenta coi osei with a platter of sautéed greens.
Serves 4
This is a piatto unico. That is, one plate which includes both first and second
courses. Osei means small birds-thrushes, sparrows, finches. Tiny delicacies
with a long gastronomic tradition and many passionate aficionados, small birds
are generally prepared grilled, stewed (in umido), or skewered and sautéed. But
in the last ten years, their numbers have decreased because of overhunting, and
most of those that are left are now thankfully protected by strict anti-hunting
laws as endangered species. In the recipe, one of the more popular, pork, beef,
and veal have been substituted for the birds.
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