Whole Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients

 * 1 chicken
 * ½ lb ground veal
 * 3 slices bread soaked in milk
 * ¼ lb ground pork
 * 4 tbsp butter
 * ¼ lb sausage
 * 1 tbsp pistachios
 * ¼ lb beef tongue
 * 3 tbsp brandy
 * ¼ lb cooked ham
 * 2 eggs
 * ⅛ lb grated Parmesan cheese
 * salt, pepper, spices (to taste)

Directions

 * 1) Bone the chicken except for the legs, using a very sharp paring knife.
 * 2) Cut along the back bone of the chicken.
 * 3) Very carefully cut the meat away from the bones in a downwards motion.
 * 4) Clean and season the chicken.
 * 5) Prepare the stuffing: in a bowl, mix well ground meat, sausage cut in fine pieces, eggs, cheese, bread slices (with all the milk squeezed out), salt, pepper and other spices (onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, etc. ) cut tongue and ham into strips.
 * 6) Open the chicken and layer it with half of the stuffing, half of the tongue and ham strips, half of the pistachios; then repeat it once more.
 * 7) Close the chicken; before sewing it up, enclose the skin from the neck inside the chicken.
 * 8) Sew up the back and front of the chicken.
 * 9) Sauté chicken in butter in a frying pan until golden.
 * 10) Next flame the chicken by pouring brandy into a ladle and igniting it.
 * 11) Pour flaming brandy over the chicken.
 * 12) Alcohol will burn off without flavoring the meat.
 * 13) Place chicken in a roasting pan and bake in 350°F oven for 1½ to 2 hours, basting often.
 * 14) When chicken is done, take it out of the oven and let it stand at room temperature, still in the pan, for about 10 minutes before un-sewing it.
 * 15) Slice and serve with vegetables of your choice.