Roast Mediterranean Chicken with Baked Giant Stuffed Gnocchi

Ingredients:

One large chicken

1.5 kg of very ripe tomatoes

2 courgettes (zucchini)

2 red onions.

2 full bulbs of garlic (with skins)

A bunch of basil

1/2 cup of red wine vinegar

3/4 cup of olive oil

Giant Stuffed Gnocchi:

1.5 kg Maris Piper potatoes

50g gluten free plain flour

Mozzarella ball

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Halve the tomatoes and place in a large baking tray.  Slice the courgettes and roughly chop the onions and add to the tomatoes.  Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil, and mix the vegetables with the oil/vinegar.

3. Cut the stalks off the basil.  Add half of the leaves to the vegetables - and keep the other half aside for serving.  Put the stalks in the chicken, and then rub the chicken on top of the vegetables (the olive oil and red wine vinegar should baste the chicken).

4. Place the vegetable tray on the bottom shelf.  Place the chicken on the rack directly above the vegetable plan (so that the juices drip into the vegetables as the chicken crisps).  Cook for as long as the chicken needs  (45 mins per kg plus 20 mins).

5. Cut the potato into small squares (skins on) and place in a large pan of cold salty water.  Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 12 mins.  Cut the mozzarella ball into 12 portions.

6. Mash the potatoes, seasoning with some salt and pepper.  Add the flour and mash through.  Move the mash onto a floured table top.  Flatten, and divide into 12 equal portions (approximately).  Role each portion into a ball.  Make a hole with your thumb, and place a piece of mozzarella before rolling into a ball again (covering up the mozzarella with mash).  Flatten the ball so that it resembles a hockey puck, and place on an oiled baking tray.  Bake the giant gnocchi in the same oven for 1 hour.

7. When cooked, empty any remaining chicken juices in the vegetables before removing the chicken from the oven.  Allow the chicken to rest 5 mins before cutting.  Serve with the vegetables, giant gnocchis and juices and some of the remaining basil leaves.

A different way to roast your chicken