Capon in Almond Milk Sauce - A Taste of Renaissance Era Papal Cuisine

An unusual marriage of chicken and almonds only a pope could love.

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Capon in Almond Milk Sauce

The Renaissance was a time of opulence, art, and innovation, and nowhere was this more evident than in the kitchens of the Vatican. At the heart of this culinary revolution was Bartolomeo Scappi, a chef whose creativity and skill elevated cooking to an art form, serving popes and cardinals with dishes that dazzled both the palate and the eye.

Among his many recipes, capon in almond milk sauce stands out as a quintessential Renaissance dish, blending delicate flavors with the era’s love for luxurious ingredients. In this post, we’ll explore Scappi’s culinary legacy, dive into the recipe for capon in almond milk sauce, and uncover the dining habits and food requirements of the popes he served.

Bartolomeo Scappi: The Renaissance’s Culinary Maestro

Born around 1500 in Dumenza, Lombardy, Bartolomeo Scappi rose to become the most celebrated chef of the Italian Renaissance. Known as the “cuoco secreto” (secret or private chef) to Popes Pius IV and Pius V, Scappi’s career spanned the kitchens of cardinals and the Vatican, where he orchestrated lavish banquets that showcased the era’s wealth and sophistication.

His monumental cookbook, Opera dell’arte del cucinare (1570), is a treasure trove of over 1,000 recipes, detailed techniques, and rare woodcut illustrations of kitchens and utensils. This work, translated into English by Terence Scully in 2008, not only preserved Renaissance culinary practices but also laid the foundation for modern Italian cuisine.

Scappi’s recipes reflect the Renaissance’s fascination with blending medieval traditions—such as heavy spicing and sweet-sour flavors—with new ingredients and techniques.

His menus often featured regional specialties from across Italy, from Bolognese sauces to Neapolitan pizzas, inadvertently uniting the peninsula’s diverse culinary traditions long before Italy was a nation.

His dishes were as much about spectacle as flavor, with presentations like a peacock reassembled to appear alive, its feathers supported by metal rods—a nod to the Mannerist art of the time.

Capon in Almond Milk Sauce: A Renaissance Delicacy

One of Scappi’s standout recipes is for capon in almond milk sauce, a dish that embodies the Renaissance penchant for creamy, subtly sweet sauces and delicate poultry.

Capon, a castrated rooster prized for its tender, flavorful meat, was a favorite in elite households. The use of almond milk, a staple in medieval and Renaissance cooking (especially during Lent when dairy was restricted), added a rich, nutty depth to the dish. This recipe, found in Book II of Opera (recipe 112), is a perfect example of Scappi’s ability to balance simplicity with sophistication.

Below is the original Italian text from Opera dell’arte del cucinare (1570), followed by an English translation, as transcribed from the facsimile available online and cross-referenced with Scully’s translation for accuracy

Capon in Almond Milk Sauce (Libro Secondo, Recipe 112)

Original Text (Italian, 1570)

Per cuocere un cappone in latte di mandorle.Piglisi un cappone ben netto, et facciasi cuocere in una pignatta con acqua, et sale, tanto che sia quasi cotto; poi si cavi, et si facci freddare. Intanto si pesti in un mortaro libre due di mandorle monde, et si distemperino con acqua fresca, et si facci colare per un setaccio, overo per una pezza, et quel latte si metta in una pignatta con due oncie di zuccaro fino, et una oncia di cannella pesta, et un quarto di noce moscata; et facciasi scaldare quel latte, et come sarà caldo, si metta il cappone dentro, et si facci finire di cuocere a lento foco, et si serva caldo con quel latte sopra.

English Translation

To cook a capon in almond milk.Take a well-cleaned capon and cook it in a pot with water and salt until it is almost done; then remove it and let it cool. Meanwhile, pound two pounds of blanched almonds in a mortar, mix them with fresh water, and strain through a sieve or cloth. Put the resulting almond milk in a pot with two ounces of fine sugar, one ounce of ground cinnamon, and a quarter ounce of nutmeg. Heat the almond milk, and when it is hot, place the capon in it and finish cooking it over a low fire. Serve it hot with the almond milk poured over it.

Capon in Almond Milk Sauce Recipe

Prep time 20 minutes | Cook time 2 hours | Serves 4

Ingredients

• Capon or Chicken: 1 whole capon (about 4–5 lbs) or 1 large whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs), cleaned and patted dry

• Water: 8 cups (for poaching)

• Salt: 1 tbsp (for poaching)

• Almonds: 1 cup (blanched, skinless almonds)

• Water (for almond milk): 2 cups, cold

• Sugar: 2 tbsp (adjust to taste; Renaissance recipes favored sweeter flavors)

• Ground Cinnamon: 2 tsp

• Ground Nutmeg: 1/2 tsp

• Optional: Fresh parsley or edible flowers for garnish (to reflect Renaissance presentation)

Equipment

• Large pot (for poaching)

• Blender or food processor (for almond milk)

• Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth

• Medium saucepan

• Tongs or slotted spoon

• Serving platter

Instructions

1. Poach the Capon:

   • Place the whole capon (or chicken) in a large pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Add 1 tbsp salt.

   • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises. Cook for 45–50 minutes until the bird is nearly cooked (internal temperature at the thigh reaches about 150°F/65°C). The meat should be tender but not fully cooked.

   • Remove the capon from the pot using tongs and let it cool slightly on a plate. Reserve ½ cup of the poaching liquid.

2. Make the Almond Milk:

   • Place 1 cup blanched almonds in a blender or food processor with 2 cups cold water. Blend until smooth, about 1–2 minutes.

   • Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the almond pulp or save for another use (e.g., baking). You should have about 1½–2 cups of almond milk.

3. Prepare the Almond Milk Sauce:

   • In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir in ½ cup of the reserved poaching liquid to enhance flavor.

   • Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust sugar or spices if desired (Renaissance palates leaned sweeter, so feel free to add a touch more sugar).

4. Finish Cooking the Capon:

   • Cut the cooled capon into serving pieces (legs, thighs, breasts) for easier cooking, or keep whole for a dramatic presentation.

   • Place the capon pieces (or whole bird) in the saucepan with the warm almond milk sauce. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the capon is fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and infused with the sauce’s flavors. Turn the pieces occasionally to coat evenly.

5. Serve:

   • Transfer the capon to a serving platter. Pour the almond milk sauce over the top, ensuring it coats the meat generously.

   • Garnish with fresh parsley or edible flowers for a Renaissance-inspired flourish, if desired.

   • Serve hot with crusty bread, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad to complement the rich, nutty sauce.

Notes

• Historical Context: Scappi’s original recipe used two pounds of almonds for a single capon, reflecting the Renaissance love for lavish ingredients. I’ve scaled this down for practicality while maintaining the creamy texture. The cinnamon and nutmeg quantities are also reduced to suit modern tastes, as Renaissance dishes were heavily spiced.

• Substitutions: If capon is unavailable, a high-quality, free-range chicken works well. For a vegan version, try firm tofu or seitan, adjusting cooking times accordingly.

• Lenten Adaptation: This dish was suitable for Lent in Scappi’s time, as almond milk replaced dairy. To make it fully Lenten, use a vegetable base (like mushrooms) instead of poultry.

• Tips: For a smoother sauce, blend the almonds thoroughly and strain twice. If the sauce thickens too much during cooking, thin it with a splash of water or poaching liquid.

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