Its Sunday, Alan wants roast chicken, Joseph is out for dinner so turned to Epicurious and found this recipe, Chicken al Mattone. It was delicious and took less time than my usual stuffed and roast chicken, mostly because it is butterflied. Apparently the recipe is from a restaurant Sfoglia in NYC which I have never been to. It is not on their site so here is the recipe:
Cut the backbone from a 4 lb chicken, press down on breast to flatten it. In small bowl mix 2 Tsps lemon juice, 2 Tsps olive oil, 1 Tsp chopped rosemary and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Rub mixture all over chicken and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in fridge,
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, season chicken with kosher salt and fresh pepper. Heat 1Tsp olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium/high heat. Add chicken, skin side down and cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes - do not turn over. Place something heavy (foil wrapped brick, cast iron skillet) on top of the chicken and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Remove weight and turn chicken over, continue to roast for about another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with another 2 Tsps lemon juice, chopped Italian parsley and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper. Let rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
Really enjoyed it but did miss the gravy! Best served with a vegetable dish that is moist or saucy, I would suggest. Full disclosure, I did not bother with the weight, maybe I will next time and see if it makes any difference! Also, the one pictured here I cooked on the grill for about 40 minutes and it was perfect but I have done the saute/oven method too. I have substituted sage for the rosemary as I have a lot in my garden and I like that version just as much as rosemary.
