Title: NORMA'S TURKEY ALLA LOMBARDA
Categories: Harned 1994, Italian, Main dish, Pork, Poultry
Yield: 1 batch
1 Turkey (10 to 12 lb.)
3 c ;Water
8 c Soft breadcrumbs or
-unseasoned croutons
1/4 c Parmesan cheese; grated
2 tb Poultry seasoning
1 ts Dried whole oregano
1 ts Freshly ground pepper
1/3 lb Italian sausage
4 c Onion; chopped
2 c Cooking apples
-- peeled and chopped
2/3 c Canned chestnuts; chopped
1/3 c Pine nuts
2 Eggs; beaten
1 ts Dried whole rosemary
-- crushed
1 1/2 c Chablis or other dry white
-wine
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 breadcrumbs 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
breadcrumb mixture. Combine apples, chestnuts and
pine nuts. Add to breadcrumb mixture, stirring well.
Remove meat from reserved turkey neck; coarsely chop
meat and giblets. Stir meat and giblets into
breadcrumb mixture. Combine eggs and 1 cup reserved
broth; stir well. Pour over breadcrumb 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"
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 F. 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 F. for 30 to 40 minutes.
Yield: 18 to 20 servings.
Recipe from Paola Stearns in _The Spence Collection_
by The Spence School/New York, NY. In _America's Best
Recipes: A 1989 Hometown Collection_. Birmingham, AL:
Oxmoor House, Inc., 1989. Pp. 256-257. ISBN
0-8487-0765-6. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.
