Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian
The rain has recently refreshed the vineyards around the Chianti, and on these pleasantly warm days the grape harvest is in full swing.
It’s a busy time, when the grape is harvested and ready to be processed in the cellars. There’s a festive feel all around the Chianti countryside.
To celebrate this special time the Ristoro l’Antica Scuderia in Badia a Passignano has included in the menu a dish that enhances the grape harvest.
The dish is “quaglie alla vignaiola” (vineyards-style quails), and we’ve gone to learn about it in the kitchen of the chef Maria Abbarchini and the owner Stefano Puliti.
“It’s one of our classic dishes here at the Scuderia, and it’s one that we like to serve during the time of the grape harvest – they say – and since our restaurant is surrounded by vineyards, it’s a perfect match”.
The quails are eviscerated and stuffed with a mixture of butter, lard, garlic, sage and rosemary.
They are wrapped in rigatino and tied with butcher’s twine. Then brown the quails in a pan with a bit of the stuffing.
When they are browned on both sides, pour some white wine and simmer until reduced, then add some grapes. “We use” says Maria, “the Sangiovese grape from the surrounding vineyards”.
You let them cook in the grape’s sauce for about one hour. It’s a fragrant dish, and you can serve it with mash potatoes. Wine pairing suggestion? “A Chianti Classico is just perfect”.
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