(Above: Grandma Shiphrah's Romertopf-Roasted Chicken for Erev Shabbat)

Background

Shabbat is a weekly oasis of (much needed) rest in our busy schedules. It’s a day to catch our breath, enjoy quality time with family and friends and congregation. It’s a time to reflect and just rest with our Heavenly Father.

The Erev Shabbat dinner on Friday evenings (click here for a guide on how to celebrate Erev Shabbat) is a weekly returning feast, and in Israel, is the main meal of the week for adult kids to come home and just enjoy being with their families. It’s common to prepare a few days ahead and make a variety of dishes and salads from home. In our home, we love to use our terracotta Romertopf pot we inherited from my mother-in-law (of blessed memory), making it extra special as if we continue to enjoy grandma’s dishes…

In the past, people would enjoy meat and chicken on Erev Shabbat, and until today, it’s very common to eat chicken on Shabbat. The Romertopf keeps the chicken juicy on the inside, yet crunchy on the outside. Just like it should be.

Romertopf-Roasted Chicken Recipe (Main Dish)

Time

Active Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours (depending on your oven)
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

• One 3 1/2 pounds whole chicken (1.6 kg)
• Coarse sea salt + pepper, to taste
• Spices (½ tbsp dried rosemary, ½ tbsp dried oregano, ½ tbsp dried thyme, ½ tbsp powdered garlic, 1 tsp dried chili flakes, 1 tsp smoked paprika), mixed
• 2 medium onions, peeled
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and halved
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1-2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into pieces of 2 inch (5 cm)

Instructions for Romertopf-Roasted Chicken

1. Soak the Romertopf clay pot and lid in a clean sink filled with water (making sure the entire pot is covered) for 20 minutes. This makes the chicken moist.

2. Place washed and peeled potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, garlic, and one onion (all are halved except for the garlic) in the bottom of the soaked clay baking pot. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Rinse the chicken well and spread spices all over the chicken (including the cavity).

4. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the clay baking pot, and stuff the cavity with the other onion (whole). Make sure the chicken breast faces up.

5. Drain soaking water from the lid and cover the chicken with the lid. Place the Romertopf-pot in a cold oven (to prevent the pot from cracking).

6. Set oven temperature to 425°F (218°C) and bake for 2 hours. Let rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with vegetables. Enjoy!