Roast spatchcock chicken with garlic, chilli, oregano, raisins & pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. To spatchcock the chicken, place it breast-side down on a chopping board. Using kitchen scissors, cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone from tail to head and remove it (you can freeze it and make stock when you have a few of them). Turn over and press down hard on the breast to flatten. Remove any big fatty parts and neaten ragged bits of skin.

2. Mix the garlic purée with 3 tbsp of the oil, ½ the chilli flakes and oregano from 3 of the sprigs (chopped or torn). Season. Put the chicken in a roasting tin. Carefully lift the skin from the chicken breast without tearing it. Work your hand down into the skin on the legs too. Put the garlic purée mixture under the skin, working it down over the legs.

3. Drizzle 4 tbsp of the oil over the chicken. Season. Scatter with the remaining chilli flakes and roast for 50 minutes. Tear the remaining oregano and, 10 minutes before the end of cooking time, scatter it over the chicken and baste, then roast until cooked and the juices run clear with no pink meat.

4. Put the raisins and Marsala in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside so the raisins plump up. Fry the garlic and pine nuts in the remaining olive oil until golden.

5. When the chicken is ready, cut it into pieces and place on a warm platter. Reheat the raisins and pour them over the top, along with the garlic and pine nuts. Squeeze over some lemon juice and serve with wedges on the side.