Nigella Lawson, earthquakes, volcanoes, autumn, fire and swimming have all inspired this dish as have, of course, Guy Mirabella’s love for Sicily and the perfect Sunday lunch. Try making Guy Mirabella’s Linguine Roast Chicken topped with the toasted pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, green chillies, lemon wedges and basil and spinach pesto and travel to Sicily.
Linguine Roast Chicken Recipe
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 × 1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) free-range chicken
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) mild olive oil
250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) dry white wine
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) linguine
80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) pine nuts, toasted, plus extra to serve
60 g (2 oz/½ cup) currants or raisins
2 long green chillies, cut into thin discs, plus extra to serve
100 g (3½ oz) baby cherry tomatoes, plus extra to serve
30 g (1 oz/1 cup) basil leaves, whole or torn
1 lemon, cut into quarters, to serve
125 g (4½ oz/½ cup) Basil and spinach pesto (see below), to serve
Stuffing
150 g (5½ oz) salted butter, softened
juice of 2 lemons, squeezed lemon halves reserved
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F) and place a wire rack into a roasting tin.
For the stuffing, combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
Wash the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towel. Trim away any excess fat. Starting near the chicken’s neck, gently insert your fingers under the skin and push your fingers through to separate it from the breast and thigh meat. The skin should remain attached but loosened. Rub the stuffing beneath the skin, inside the cavities and all over the outside. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the wire rack. Put the reserved squeezed lemon halves into the cavity and pour the oil into the cavity and over the chicken. Pour the wine over the top and roast for 50–60 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Remove the chicken and cool a little while keeping the pan juices warm.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add salt and cook the pasta until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, work quickly to shred the chicken and return the meat to the roasting tin.
Drain the pasta and toss it into the roasting tin with the chicken. Add the pine nuts, currants, chillies, tomatoes and basil and mix well, scraping any residue from the side and bottom of the pan.
Divide the pasta into individual bowls and top with the extra pine nuts, some extra tomatoes, chillies, lemon wedges and pesto.
Basil and Spinach Pesto
Combine 2 sliced garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, 155 g (5½ oz/1 cup) lightly toasted pine nuts, 90 g (3 oz) freshly grated pecorino, 120 g (4½ oz/4 cups) basil leaves, 180 g (6½ oz/4 cups) baby English spinach leaves and 185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) mild olive oil in a food processor and pulse in 5 second bursts until you have a coarse to smooth texture. To store, spoon into a jar or airtight container and top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil before sealing to prevent browning. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Makes 560 ml (19 fl oz/2¼ cups).
This is an edited extract from Pranzo by Guy Mirabella (Hardie Grant Books), RRP $60 AUD / $70 NZD. Available in stores nationally from 4 March 2025.
