Il galletto al mattone (chicken cooked under a brick) from Italian Grill by Mario Batali

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • L.Nightshade on July 25, 2011

    I used coarse sea salt, but the amount concerned me, so I used half the written amount of salt, without changing the pepper, fennel, or thyme. I still felt it was too salty and would use less next time, or use the mentioned alternative of kosher salt. Anyway, aside from the salt question, this was a huge success. Actually, even with the salt it was a success. We used a gas grill, which I don't think gets as hot as charcoal, so the cooking time was a bit longer for us. But the chicken was perfect. Crispy skin, tender and juicy meat. I actually don't like chicken skin, so I loved that the flavors of the rub penetrated into the meat. And the aroma was intoxicating. Mr. N wasn't so sure about the brick method, but he's sold now.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 28, 2011

    p. 136 Super-simple to prepare and big on flavour, we loved this chicken and will happily make it again. Chicken is flattened by removing the backbone and pressing down to crack breastbones. We found it simpler to remove the breastbone at the top as well. A rub is made by combining ground, toasted fennel seeds (or fennel pollen), salt, pepper and thyme. The mixture is patted on the bird then the chicken is wrapped in Saran and refrigerated for 12 hours. An hour prior to grilling chicken is removed from the fridge. Chicken is then grilled under a brick until done. We didn’t have issues w flare-ups though they are mentioned as a potential issue in the book. Prior to serving, I spritzed the chicken w lemon-juice. This was a delicious, flavourful dish. We grilled over charcoal.

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