Pitu caleya. Asturian recipe

Pitu caleya, free-range chicken or free-range chicken. Depending on the region of Spain in which we are, it is a chicken fed in a natural and homemade way.

The pitu caleya , which translated from Asturian comes to say something like chicken from the alley or road , has nothing to do with any other chicken, large or small farm. Today I bring you the recipes with meat  on how to prepare a pitu caleya in a traditional way, in the Asturian style.

These animals feed naturally without feed, that is, earthworms, corn or seeds. As a result of their treatment and food, we will have large specimens, up to 6 kg in weight, with dark meat and less fat, or at least different from that of any farm chicken.

The meat, initially hard, will remain super soft, perfect to enjoy both children and adults. It is a typically Asturian gastronomic delight that although until not many years ago was relegated to the kitchens of mothers and grandmothers.

Today we can find the pitu caleya in many restaurants throughout Asturias as a symbol of its gastronomic quality. I hope you can try it and if it is possible to cook it at home, a luxury and a guaranteed victory.

Before starting with the pitu caleya or free-range chicken

1. We ask our butcher to cut the pitu caleya. Already at home we can do two things, cook the pitu with skin or not.
2. I have chosen to remove the skin and superficial fat from the chicken. It is a pretty hearty dish and I don’t want it to be excessively fatty.
3. In a container we let the chicken marinate with the chopped garlic cloves, watering it with a splash of olive oil. The ideal is to leave the chicken overnight.
4. In a wide saucepan we heat a good stream of olive oil. We remove the garlic from the marinade of the chicken and brown it on all sides until it acquires a toasted tone. We reserve the garlic from the marinade to include it later.
5. We add the onions cut into thick pieces, the garlic that we have reserved and the green pepper in the same way, roughly.
6. Fry the vegetables for about 25 minutes, over medium-low heat, until they are very soft. It is necessary that, from time to time, we remove and scratch the bottom of the casserole to prevent them from burning. Season with salt and pepper.

Pitu caleya cooking and final presentation

1. When the vegetables are well poached, add the sherry and let it evaporate for a few minutes. Then add in cognac and let the alcohol go again.
2. We add 200 gr. of water and let the stew begin to cook, over low heat and covered.
3. The pitu must cook about 2 and a half hours, until the meat is very tender. Occasionally we will shake the casserole to check that it does not burn and, when we see that more liquid is needed, we will add a little more water.
4. We tried point of salt and pepper. If necessary we seasoned again.
5. We must have the casserole covered throughout the process, once we put the meat to stew with the liquid.
6. Once the meat is ready we can pass the sauce through the Chinese or mash to eliminate any stumble or serve it as it is, that will already be to the taste of the consumer.

Tips and recommendations for a delicious pitu caleya

• Due to these peculiarities, the cooking time of this chicken is longer than that of a traditional one, but yes, its flavor is beyond comparison.
• To prepare this recipe, the main thing is to have a good sample.
• But also, what we are going to need is, to cook without haste, giving the meat time to become tender, and most importantly, to enjoy the process thinking about the delicious snack that awaits us.
• These types of stews will gain in flavor from one day to the next.
• We can accompany the meat with some diced potatoes, perfect for dipping in the sauce. I assure you that it is worth the time spent, the result is yummy.
• If you like the spoon, you can not miss trying its famous bean stew .  Its world-famous clams with clams   or those spectacular verdinas .  To open your mouth, you have their pregnant buns  or some stuffed onions . The ones I like the most are with bonito, but you also have them with meat. To end a gastronomic day that you will not forget. Their desserts, the richest rice pudding you will have ever tasted or Pravia’s tocinillo de cielo .
• Be sure to enjoy all the meat recipes that we have on the blog and in the special Christmas recipes .
• You can see all the photos of the step by step in the album of the recipe of pitu caleya .