Tuscan flat-legged chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 chicken (fresh roast chicken of approx. 1 kg)
• salt and pepper
• sprig(s) rosemary
• 4 tbsp oil (olive oil)
• 1 lemon(s), the juice
• 1 jar wine, white, dry
• 20 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Since this chicken is roasted without almost any flavoring, the quality of the poultry is paramount. The most important preparation is to obtain a brick or other heavy object. For hygiene reasons, the brick should be wrapped in aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the chicken’s backbone lengthwise with poultry shears. Wash and dry the bird, rub it inside and out with salt and pepper, and then place it cut-side down on the work surface. Press firmly with the palm of your hand until it is flat. Make small slits in the skin on the thighs and breast and insert several small rosemary sprigs. Place the chicken, bone-side down, in a lightly oiled roasting pan or on a deep baking sheet and weigh it down with the prepared brick. Roast in the hot oven on the middle rack for about 60 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice with the remaining olive oil and brush the chicken with it after 30 minutes. Remove the cooked poultry from the roasting pan and keep warm (wrap in aluminum foil and place in the switched-off oven). If you want the skin crispier, remove the stone about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time and place the chicken back in the oven. Loosen the meat juices from the bottom of the roasting pan with wine and, if desired, whisk in small flakes of ice-cold butter to thicken it. You can skip this step if you’re keeping your cooking time to a minimum. Finally, season the sauce with salt and pepper and serve with the chicken.