Flown Away Sparrows With Polenta ( Uccelletti Scappati)

Directions

1. Soak the dry porcini in the water for 30 min.
2. Strain well reserving the soaking liquor and finely chop the mushrooms.
3. Put each slice of chicken or possibly turkey between 2 sheets of clingfilm and beat with a mallet till thin.
4. Season each slice with salt and pepper.
5. Onto each scaloppine put one third of a slice of speck a sprinkling of pine kernels minced porcini a healthy pinch of parsley and a few hazelnutsized dots of butter.
6. Roll up each scaloppine and secure with a cocktail stick and dust each with flour patting off any excess.
7. Brown gently in the heated oil turning till they are cooked.
8. Remove from the pan remove the cocktail sticks and keep hot.
9. Add in the shallot and garlic to the same pan and fry for 30 seconds before adding the fresh mushrooms.
10. Fry gently for 3 min stirring then add in the remaining slices of speck cut into thin strips and the red wine.
11. Simmer for 2 min to evapourate the alcohol then add in 4 Tbsp. of the porcint soaking liquor reserved earlier salt and pepper parsley and tomatoes.
12. Cook for a further 2 min to develop the fiavours then return the sparrows to the pan. Simmer gently for 5 min adding more soaking liquor if necessary. Season to taste.
13. In another pan bring the water for the polenta to the boil.
14. Add in the polenta in a thin stream and stir till it has thickened.
15. Add in the butter and parsley and serve with the false sparrows and sauce.
16. Sparrow onginaly called osei in the Venetian dialect were a speciality of which region but this dish was also adopted by Bergamo. Here the sparrows have flown away to be replaced by rolls of chicien fillet!
17. Serves 4