Tuscan Roast Chicken, Peas and Onions and Insalata Caprese

Buona giornata! We landed in Tuscany today….no, no, no…don’t get excited….I am not actually in Tuscany. Wouldn’t that be a wondrous set of circumstances? No, we are firmly planted in swampy, hot old Florida .

We’re just traveling via Williams-Sonoma’s Essentials of Italian. More of a mind trip that is aided by good food, music and the best company I could ever want :-)

First, let me make a stop on the way to Tuscany and bring you this lovely dish from Campania .

Insalata caprese…..creamy mozzarella, fresh juicy tomatoes, a bit of olive oil and fresh basil leaves



Let me try and not be too wordy...too chatty...who likes a long-winded post, no one :-) So lets get right to the food.



Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme
Il pollo

Ingredients......

1 chicken, preferably 4 to 5 pounds
2 TB olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 TB fresh thyme leaves
2 small lemons

Rub the chicken with olive oil and generously pat down with salt and pepper, sprinkle some inside the cavity as well. Dust the bird with fresh thyme and insert cut lemon into the cavity. Tie legs together. Lace breast side up in a cast iron pan or small roasting pan – one just large enough to hold the chicken.

Roast at 450 F degrees, basting occasionally with juices, for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 F and continue basting until done. Once done, tent with foil and let the bird sit for ten minutes before carving.

(I was in such a hurry to get it on the table that I forgot to get a shot of this browned beauty before Doug carved it.)



When lemon is cool enough to handle, squeeze into the pan juices. Add a bit of water, not too much, and deglaze pan. Cook for about 2 minutes and use the juices to spoon over carved chicken.


Fresh Peas with onion and basil
I piselli



Simple – English peas (shelled), a finely chopped yellow onion, olive oil, some salt and pepper and fresh basil leaves.


If you cooked along with me then...... Congratulazioni! You’ve made a Tuscan meal!