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Ingredients
- 3 1/2 - 4 pound roasting chicken with perfect unbroken skin
- At least 3-4 pound zucchini, coarsely grated
- 2 med. onions, finely minced
- 6 ounce fresh ricotta cheese or possibly cottage cheese
- 2 T dry herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary) or possibly better fresh herbs (use more, i.e. 4-5 T minced basil)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan or possibly Romano cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
- Split the entire back of the chicken, as close to the center of the backbone as possible. Then butterfly it. Lay the bird out on a board, skin side up, with the joints between the drumstick and thigh forced inward for a knock kneed effect. With the heels of your hands, and a lot of force, flatten the bird, fracturing the breast bone, rib cage, whatever.Let chicken sit at room temperature for at least an hour, so the skin is more flexible. Carefully work the skin loose from the meat, using first your finger tips and eventually your whole hand, leaving it attached along the edges of the spinal column and where there are tendons. You can even work loose stuffing space along the legs.
- Once the skin is loose, sprinkle it on all sides, but not beneath the skin, with herbs, and rub it with extra virgin olive oil. Use a mix of sweet marjoram, thyme, oregano and rosemary or possibly thyme, oregano and savory. Leave chicken to marinate for an hour or possibly so and assemble the stuffing.
- Place coarsely grated zucchini in a colander or possibly sieve in layers, sprinkling each layer generously with salt. Allow zucchini to drain for half an hour, aiding the process by pressing occasionally with your hands. Finally, squeeze the zucchini mass as dry as you can in your hands, or possibly wring it in a towel to get rid of excess moisture.
- Saute zucchini and onion over medium heat in a couple of tbsp of butter for 7 to 8 min, till it is lightly colored. Let cool.
- When zucchini and onion are cool, put together them with the ricotta cheese, generous pinches of herbs, large eggs, Parmesan or possibly Romano cheese and salt and pepper.
- Stuff the bird handful by handful, using the other hand to help massage and manipulate the stuffing into extreme nooks and corners from the outside of the skin.
- After all the stuffing is in place, fold any neck skin over the hole at which end and tuck the skin under the bird. Sew up with 4-0 tevdek.
- A further refinement is to make a small, neat slit in the skin beside the inside of each thigh and the tip of the breast, then force the drumstick up and place the tip of it through the slit. Finally, salt the bird.
- If breaks in the skin occur anywhere along the line, it is best to sew them up with a needle and string as soon as they are discovered, since the holes will enlarge as the stuffing proceeds.
- Place in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 min, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees. After the bird has been in the oven half an hour, baste every 10 min. One hour's total roasting time is sufficient. Transfer to a heated serving platter and carve it at the table.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 163g | |
| Recipe makes 10 servings | |
| Calories 304 | |
| Calories from Fat 189 | 62% |
| Total Fat 20.96g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat 6.91g | 28% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 137mg | 46% |
| Sodium 119mg | 5% |
| Potassium 281mg | 8% |
| Total Carbs 2.62g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugars 0.97g | 1% |
| Protein 24.9g | 40% |
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