We have been regulars at Marco’s restaurant across the bridge from our apartment for 8 years. One of the reasons for this is his brick chicken – pollo mattone. Just before I left Bagni di Lucca I asked if I could see how it is made. Marco happily led me into the kitchen for a demonstration.
first chop your chicken in half
The next step is to put the chicken skin side down in a pan with a little olive oil.
place the pan on the stove top
Now season the chicken with salt, pepper and whatever flavouring you wish. Marco sometimes uses rosemary.
season the chicken
Then as quick as a flash Marco whipped out the heavy brick and put it on top of the chicken.
the brick goes on top
I didn’t pick it up, so I can’t tell you how heavy the brick is but it looks extremely weighty. Marco informed me that there are very few original bricks left in Tuscany and they are now very valuable. Maybe there are a few lying around disguised as door stops.
have you seen one of these lying around?
The chicken is left to cook for about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken, and served simply with lemon and whatever contorni takes your fancy.
the finished product
I have eaten many of these delicious chickens in my last 8 years in Ponte a Serraglio. Our lovely friend Annabel enjoyed hers too.
she didn't leave much
Marco’s brick makes my pollo mattone device look pretty flimsy.
Click here to see my feeble attempts at brick chicken.
Click here to read more about our good friend Marco and here to see Marco in his roll as traffic cop.