Thrushes with Olives

Tordi alle Olive

Thrushes wrapped in pancetta, browned with garlic, green olives and white wine: a rustic second course of Italian cuisine.

6 servings

Easy

The thrushes with olives are a main course rustic and tasty, suitable for a lunch in which the game meat is enhanced with simple cooking and an aromatic base. smoked pancetta It envelops the birds and adds intensity, while the green olives introduce a savory and slightly lively note. The white wine helps keep the base moist and adds a fragrant touch to the browning, without overpowering the flavor of the meat. The ideal consistency comes from the balance between the well-browned surface and the interior, kept soft by the covered cooking and the gradual addition of liquid. In this traditional preparation, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and olives create an essential condiment, designed to capture the juices of the meat and the pancetta.

Instructions

Voice reading

6 steps · natural Italian voice

Prepare the thrushes

Arrange the plucked, gutted, and flamed thrushes, making sure they are clean and free of any feather residue. Wrap each bird in a slice of smoked pancetta, making it adhere well to the surface: during browning it will help to flavour the meat and keep it softer.

Heat the oil

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan non-stick with lid and heat it over medium heatWait until the oil becomes fluid and very hot, without letting it smoke: it will be ready when it can brown the pancetta with an immediate light sizzle.

Brown the thrushes

Place the thrushes wrapped in the pancetta in the saucepan and brown them on all sides, turning them delicately. Continue until the pancetta It turns golden brown and the surface of the thrushes takes on a uniform color; regular browning creates a flavorful base without burning the meat juices.

Season the cooking

Salt thrushes in moderation, then add the cloves of garlic whole garlic cloves and candied green olives. Distribute them around the meat so they can flavor the bottom of the pan while cooking. When the garlic releases its aroma and the olives begin to heat through, proceed to the next step.

Deglaze with wine

Pour the white wine into the saucepan Add the sauce in several batches, letting it simmer briefly after each addition. Gently scrape the bottom with a suitable utensil to loosen the browning juices. The liquid should reduce slightly and not remain completely watery, but the bottom should still be moist.

Complete cooking

Cover the saucepan and complete the cooking over medium heatGradually add the indicated white wine when the sauce begins to dry out. Turn the thrushes gently to distribute the heat and aromas. Serve when the meat is cooked and the sauce appears reduced, glossy, and fragrant.

Chef's Tips

Brown the thrushes over medium heat, turning them delicately, and add the wine little by little: the meat must cook without drying out, while the bottom remains moist and fragrant.