2011, Recipes 24 & 25: Tuscan Lemon Chicken and Pasta with Pecorino and Pepper

Tuscan Lemon Chicken 
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

• 1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
• Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, halved

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.


When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

Results: Really yummy and I didn't even have a grill to cook this on! Loved it!  And grandma was over the moon about it!


Pasta with Pecorino & Pepper
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

• 1 tablespoon whole black Tellicherry peppercorns
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 pound dried Italian egg pasta, such as tagliarelle
• 1 cup freshly grated aged Pecorino cheese (4 ounces), plus extra for serving
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Place the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and crush them until you have a mixture of coarse and fine bits. (You can also grind them in a small food mill or coffee grinder.) Set aside.
Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Ladle 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into a glass measuring cup and reserve it. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander and return the pasta to the pot with a lot of the pasta water still dripping.

Working quickly, with the heat on very low, toss the pasta with 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino, the crushed peppercorns, cream, butter, parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt, tossing constantly. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking water. Off the heat, toss in the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino. Serve immediately with a big bowl of extra grated Pecorino for sprinkling.

Results: I just used regular pepper... lol.  This was yummy!  I also served it with salad with lemon-garlic infused olive oil dressing.  Basically you sauté minced garlic in olive oil, let it cool, poor it over the greens, squeeze lemons over the greens, add salt & pepper.  Let it sit to wilt for about 5-7 minutes.  Enjoy.  Unnecessarily yummy!  Yes, the theme is yummy!