Chicken Cooked Under Bricks / Pollo al Mattone

Name: Chicken Cooked Under Bricks / Pollo al Mattone
Ingredients: 2 INGREDIENTSJuice oflemons; 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes; Grinding of coarse black pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt; 4 pound roasting chicken, split in half; 3 or four clean bricks, each wrapped in aluminum foil

SERVES 4

Pollo al mattone, chicken cooked under bricks, is said to have originated in Impruneta, the town near Florence famous all over the world for its beautifully made terra cotta tiles. According to tradition, this dish was made for the feast of San Luca, the town’s patron.

The method of grilling the chicken with a weight on it allows the bird to keep contact with the grill and cook evenly. At one time heavy terra cotta pots were used to weigh the chicken down. Even if you do not have a stovetop grill you can achieve the same results on a really hot outdoor grill, about 500 F.

Ingredients

2 INGREDIENTSJuice oflemons
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
Grinding of coarse black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
4 pound roasting chicken, split in half
3 or four clean bricks, each wrapped in aluminum foil

Directions

DIRECTIONSPrepare the grill.
In a large shallow bowl, combine the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, pepper, and salt. Coat each side of the chicken halves with the mixture, then place them directly on the grill and position the bricks on top of each half.
Grill carefully, watching and regulating the heat as necessary to avoid flare-ups. Remove the bricks using oven mitts. Use tongs to turn the chicken once to cook on the other side. Reposition the bricks on top of the chicken. When a fork easily pierces the chicken and the juices run clear, remove the bricks, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut it into pieces. Serve hot.

This recipe was featured on Season 13 - Episode 1305.