Turkey Alla Lombarda
Submitted by sandhya
A show-stopping Italian roast turkey rubbed with rosemary and bathed in white wine, stuffed with a Lombardy-style dressing of Italian sausage, chestnuts, pine nuts, apples, and Parmesan. The holiday centerpiece that changes everything.
YIELD
20 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsLombardy, in northern Italy, knows a thing or two about turning a roast into an event.
This turkey gets the full treatment: a rosemary-rubbed bird roasted in a bath of dry white wine, stuffed with a dressing so loaded with good things it could steal the show from the turkey itself.
Crumbled Italian sausage browned in its own drippings, golden onions, chopped apples, chestnuts, pine nuts, and grated Parmesan all come together in seasoned bread crumbs moistened with giblet broth and beaten eggs.
The giblets and neck meat get chopped and stirred right back in, so nothing goes to waste.
This is the kind of recipe you pull out when Thanksgiving needs an Italian accent, or when Sunday dinner calls for something truly magnificent.
Variations
- Dried fruit addition: Fold in golden raisins or chopped dried apricots for a sweeter, more festive stuffing
- Herb butter finish: Rub the bird with a rosemary-sage compound butter under the skin for extra moisture and flavor
Chef Tips
- Let the turkey rest a full 15 minutes after roasting so the juices redistribute and every slice stays moist
- Bake any extra stuffing in a separate dish alongside the turkey so everyone gets plenty
- Cut the cord holding the drumsticks when the turkey is about two-thirds done so the thigh meat cooks through evenly
- Cover loosely with foil if the skin starts browning too quickly
Ingredients
Directions
Remove giblets and neck from turkey; rinse and place in a small saucepan with 3 cups water.
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Remove giblets and neck from broth, reserving broth.
Set aside and let cool.
Combine bread crumbs and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well.
Set aside.
Remove sausage from casing.
Cook sausage in a large skillet over high heat until sausage browns, stirring to crumble meat.
Remove meat with a slotted spoon, reserving pan drippings in skillet.
Add sausage to breadcrumb mixture; stir well.
Add onion to pan drippings in skillet; cook over medium heat until golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon and stir into bread crumb mixture.
Combine apples, chestnuts and pine nuts.
Add to bread crumb mixture, stirring well.
Remove meat from reserved turkey neck; coarsely chop meat and giblets.
Stir meat and giblets into bread crumb mixture.
Combine eggs and 1 cup reserved broth; stir well.
Pour over bread crumb mixture and stir well.
Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry.
Stuff dressing into body cavities of turkey.
If excess skin around tail has been cut away, tuck legs under flap of skin around tail.
If skin is intact, close cavity with skewers and truss.
Tie ends of legs to tail with cord.
Lift wingtips up and over back; tuck under bird.
Spoon remaining dressing into a greased 11 x 7 x 2 inch baking dish .
Cover and chill.
Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up; rub bird with crushed rosemary.
Pour wine into roasting pan around bird.
Insert meat thermometer in meaty part of turkey thigh, making sure thermometer does not touch bone.
Bake at 325℉ (160℃). until meat thermometer reaches 185 F.
If turkey starts to brown too much, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
When turkey is two-thirds done, cut the cord or band of skin holding drumstick ends to tail; this will ensure that the thighs are cooked internally.
Turkey is done when drumsticks are easily moved up and down.
Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
Bake remaining dressing at 350℉ (180℃). for 30 to 40 minutes.
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