In a fairly deep pan, sauté the finely chopped onion and the pancetta cut into small pieces with 4 spoonfuls of olive oil. Now add the capon, cleaned and cut into small pieces (14-16); brown well, pour in the wine and allow to evaporate over a high heat, toss the pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook the meat through slowly (adding a little hot water or stock if necessary). Clean the porcini mushrooms thoroughly (don’t wash them directly in water, wipe them with a damp cloth and scrape them with the blade of a knife, because if they get too wet they lose flavour and aroma). Cut them into fairly large pieces and put them in a frying pan (preferably non-stick), in which you have heated a clove of garlic with 3 spoonfuls of olive oil. Put the lid on the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring delicately. When you turn off the heat, remove the garlic and add the thyme. Tip the mushrooms into the pan with the capon and stir them together; return to the heat for another 2 minutes. Then turn the heat off and allow your “dish” to sit in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Buon appetito! 

(1) A capon is a young castrated cockerel, which is therefore plumper and more tender. They were often used in Tuscan cuisine in days gone by, but nowadays almost only during the Christmas season. Capon is excellent boiled and served with sauces such as mayonnaise, but also roast. 

(2) If you use dried mushrooms, they need to be soaked for 15-20 minutes. After which, rinse and strain them, and dry them with kitchen paper, squeezing delicately. Then put them in the frying pan with the heated oil and garlic, cook for 10 minutes and add the thyme, as described above.