Tacchino Ripieno alla Lombarda (Stuffed Turkey Lombardy-Style)

Method

“I love serving turkey year-round because it is easy and delicious. (It is also very economical.) This is the way I do my Thanksgiving turkey, which makes it a lot easier than a whole bird when it comes down to carving.” –Mario Batali

• 8 ounces Luganega or sweet Italian sausage
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, cut into 1/4" cubes
• 1 cup roasted chestnut pieces
• 4 ounces turkey giblets, cut into 1/4-inch dice (or substitute chicken giblets or livers)
• 1 medium Spanish onion, diced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 boneless turkey breast with skin, from a free-range organic turkey, butterflied so it is evenly 1/2-inch thick (have a butcher do this)
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cotto (Italian cooked ham)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Prick the Luganega or sausage in a few places, put it in a small baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool, then thinly slice. Increase the oven temperature to 450ºF.

Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until it melts and the foam subsides. Add the diced prosciutto, chestnuts, turkey giblets, and onion and cook until the onion is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and allow to cool.

Add the sausage, Parmigiano, eggs, rosemary, and sage to the chestnut mixture and mix lightly, almost as if you were tossing a salad. Lay the turkey breast skin side down on a work surface and spread the filling over the flesh, then roll up, starting from a long side, like a jelly roll. Carefully insert the prosciutto cotto under the skin on the top of the roll, and tie the roast in several places with butcher’s twine. Place the turkey in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the stock and wine into the pan.

Roast for 50 to 70 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165ºF. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, degrease the cooking liquid in the pan, and pour it into a small saucepan. Scrape up all of the brown chunky bits left stuck in the pan, add them to the saucepan, and bring to a boil. Knead the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour to form a small paste, and whisk it into the sauce, bit by bit, until it is slightly thickened. Cook for 5 minutes at a brisk simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Carve the turkey into 3/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the sauce.

Yield

4 servings