History of Flattened Chickens
Flattened chickens have been a long-time culinary favourite! For centuries, the benefits of this specific style of cooking chickens have been described in numerous Italian, French and Irish recipe books. Recipes explain that by roasting or grilling flattened chickens on low heat, the meat cooks evenly, the meat doesn’t dry out and the skin crisps to perfection. Also, recipes mention using poussins (chickens under 28 days and weighing about 500g) because their smaller size is perfect for an individual portion and their softer and more delicate bones are easier to split and remove during the flattening process.
To prepare the chickens, chefs had to cut along the breastbone, carefully pull and detach each of the legs from their sockets, and turn the body bone-side down and press down on it with a large knife, thus flattening the chicken. To properly season the chicken, chefs applied rubs and marinades up to a day before cooking. These preparation steps ensured that the meat turned out moist and well-flavoured, and wouldn’t require any basting during the cooking process.
An International Perspective
Classic Italian flattened chicken recipes include “pollo al mattone” and “pollo alla diavolo” (translated to “chicken prepared with a brick” and “deviled chicken”). The name “Pollo al mattone” describes the preparation style for this old recipe, where large terra cotta bricks are used to weigh down the chickens, thus flattening them. The seasoning is usually very simple and consisted of a combination of herbs (sage or rosemary), garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and olive oil. The name “Pollo al diavolo” is meant to describe the intense flavour from the black pepper, red wine vinegar, and chili flakes used to season the meat.
Old Irish recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries use the term “spatchcock” to describe the process of cutting a chicken along the middle, removing the backbone, and spreading the two halves of the bird out flat. More modern recipes apply the process of spatchcocking to other birds, including pigeons and quail.
In French cuisine, flattened chickens are known as “poulet en crapaudine”, meaning that the chickens are opened up like a book and resemble a toad or frog. In the late Richard Olney’s 1970’s cookbook, Simple French Food, Olney describes stuffing a flattened chicken with grated parmesan cheese, zucchini and ricotta.
History of The Travelling Butcher
The Travelling Butcher travels the world to discover old culinary customs and new culinary trends. With a strong sense of thrill and excitement for the unknown, The Travelling Butcher thrives to uncover the secrets of the culinary world by exploring how culture, history and environment affect different styles and practices of cooking.
While the world is his playground, The Travelling Butcher’s kitchen is here at home in Ontario. He travels the world and brings his findings back to Ontario for all to enjoy.
Food is about valuing nutrition, appreciating different cultures, and celebrating good company.