I've shared the lessons of a year living in Italy here. What I'm sharing now is the unique menu I created in order to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving with my new Italian friends and neighbors.
The primary challenge involved acquiring a turkey, as tacchino is not a staple of the Tuscan menu. But my local butcher found me a big enough bird to feed 12 guests. This created another problem as that 12-person-feeding turkey was not going to fit in my tiny, Italian oven. So, my ever-resourceful butcher simply removed the breast bones from the turkey and stuffed the cavity with ground veal and aromatics.
This adaptation to a boneless turkey forever changed my Thanksgiving menu as a boneless breast, stuffed and rolled, is a main attraction that cooks uniformly, carves easily, and doesn't take up the bulk of the oven space for hours upon hours.
Here is my turkey ripieno or stuffed turkey breast recipe along with links to all of the sides I made that holiday in Italy where I gave the American holiday a Tuscan twist.
Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Glaze
Focaccia Stuffing with Sausage and Fennel
Chicken Liver Crostini with Pickled Shallot
Turkey Ripieno (Stuffed Turkey)
12
servings20
minutes1
hour30
minutesIngredients
1 6-7 lb 1 whole boneless turkey breast
2 lbs 2 ground veal or pork
3 cloves 3 minced garlic
2 tbsp 2 chopped sage leaves
2 tbsp 2 chopped rosemary leaves
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/3 cup 1/3 extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup 1/4 honey
1 cup 1 chicken stock
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Combine garlic, herbs, and ground meat.
- Place breast, skin-side down on a cutting board; butterfly into an even thickness (pound gently, if necessary, to achieve uniformity).
- Season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
- Skin side down, spread the meat mixture evenly over the turkey with 1-inch borders around each end.
- Roll the breast into a cylinder.
- Secure the cylinder with kitchen string in roughly 2-inch intervals.
- Place on a rack in a roasting pan and add the stock to the bottom. Cover with foil.
- Roast the breast for 75 minutes. Remove foil.
- Combine olive oil with the honey and cover the breast on all sides using a pastry brush.
- Return to oven uncovered and roast until the skin is browned but not burned (15 - 20 minutes) until an internal temperature of 140 degrees is met or until, when pierced to the center, the juices run clear.
- Remove, cover loosely with foil and let breast rest for 20 minutes before carving into slices of 1-1/2 inch.
- Allow pan juices to reduce at a simmer and spoon over sliced meat or serve on the side.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink
Like this recipe?
Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest
Follow us on Facebook!
Follow us on Facebook
