Capponi sopramentati serviti freddi con caparetti sopra - capon sopramentati

122. To boil a boneless capon

…. When the capon has been prepared in either of the above ways (skinned and deboned), get the flesh from the breast of another uncooked capon, and a pound of prosciutto and pork fat together, and beat those finely with knives, adding in half an ounce of common spices, a handful of finely chopped herbs, two egg yolks and two ounces of grated cheese. Stuff the capon with that mixture, pushing it into the wings and thighs; sew it up so the stuffing cannot come out, with its wings and thighs trussed, put the cample into an ample earthenware or copper pot with cold water and put that on the fire.

123. To boil and prepare the capon "sopramentato"

When the capon is plucked and drawn, whether stuffed or empty, boil it in a meat broth or else in water with a piece of proscuitto and crushed pepper. When it is done, take it out of the broth and let it drain. Then make several slashes across the thighs, body, and breast. Sprinkle it all over, especially in the slashes, with a mixture of sugar, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and fennel flour. Let it cool. When you wish to serve it, do so with it cold, with cut-up lemons over it. Before sprinkling it, you can also splash it with rose vinegar.

First you will need to put together your common spices.  This is delicious, and I use it quite a bit in my cooking.   I have sometimes substituted cubebs and long pepper for the pepper and ginger to create a spicier blend. 

Rupert de Nola's Libre del Coch (ab 1529) gives instructions for Common Sauce Spices. Amended.

Libre del Coch

Roughly translated from Spanish to English (thank you Google) this set of instructions can be translated to be:

Cinnamon three parts; cloves two parts; one piece ginger; pepper a part/ some dry coriander well ground/ a little saffron be all well ground and sifted.

Interpreted Recipe

Common Sauce Spices, Amended

1  tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cloves 
1 tsp. ginger 
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dry coriander (ground)
Pinch of Saffron

Capon "Sopramenti" 

2-2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken (I used breasts that had been cut in half then pounded thin)
1 pound prosciutto
1 tbsp. Common spices
1 ½ teaspoons thyme
3 tablespoons sage
2 tablespoons parsley
1 tablespoons ground fennel seed
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
2 egg yolks
2 ounces grated cheese

I used chicken breasts that I cut in half an pounded out so that I could tie them up into pin wheels.  Sprinkle with your common spices and add a slice of prosciutto. 

Bring chicken broth to a boil, add a couple of lemon slices and a pinch of your common spices. 

Beat egg yolks with your cheese and herbs.  I used a mix of ricotta, fontina and parmesan cheeses. 

Wrap your breasts into pinwheels and tie off with kitchen string.  Ease them into your hot broth and poach until cooked completely through.  Allow chicken to cool.

To serve, slice each chicken breast into thin slices to get chicken "pinwheels" and cover the sliced chicken with thinly sliced lemon.