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Bacon-wrapped quail

Have you got some quails and want to know how we cook them in Italy? Here a tremendous recipe for bacon-wrapped quails, with some very Italian ingredients... Enjoy!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Meat
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: delicious, Meat, tasty
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Roberto
Cost: $3

Equipment

  • a pan with a cover
  • a fork
  • a knife

Ingredients

  • 8 quails A standard serving is 2 quails per person
  • 8 bacon strips Long ones, otherwise use 2 per quail
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf better if fresh
  • q.s. EVO oil
  • 8 guanciale sticks
  • 30 taggiasche olives I love the taggiasche ones, but other olives will work.
  • 16 cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 glass white wine

Instructions

  • Start cleaning the quails, paying attention to remove the few feathers left.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - clean
  • Cut a thick slice of guanciale and obtain from it 8 large sticks. Start filling each quail with a guanciale stick.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - guanciale
  • I personally use two olives per quail. Stuff those into the bird. The other olives will be used later.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - olives
  • Now wrap each quail with the bacon strips. The breast is the dry part of the meat, so it's important that the bacon sorrounds it.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - bacon
  • Finely chop the garli cloves and the rosemary. In a pan (my choice is a dutch oven, it's a perfect tool for this recipe), add a tbsp of EVO oil and the herbs, at gentle heat. When the smell starts, ...
    Bacon-wrapped quail - herbs
  • ... add the quails and raise the heat to medium-high. Sear every side of the birds, for about 10 minutes, until the bacon looks crispy.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - roasting
  • While the quails are being roasted, cut the tomatoes (just "open" them). When the birds are roasted, add two cherry tomatoes on top of each quail, and some olives in the pan.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - olives and tomatoes
  • Spray with the wine, let the alcohol vanish and then cover the pan.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - wine
  • Lower the heat and let it gently cook for 30-35 minutes. Eventually they should look like in the picture.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - ready
  • Your quails are ready to be served and enjoyed! I serve them with a simple salad, EVO oil and balsamic vinegar.
    Bacon-wrapped quail - in the plate

Notes

  • a nutrition note. Quails are very low in fat and rich in protein, definitely very good meat from a nutrition point of view. Calories and fat content in this recipe come largely from the guanciale, bacon and olives
  • ingredients are for 4 people, but the pictures are for 2 (me and my wife :) )