Turkey Stuffed with Chestnuts (Lombardy)

Meat

Ingredients

Turkey- 8 to 10 pounds

Salt and pepper

Butter- 6-8 tbsps

Sage- 1 sprig

Rosemary- 1 sprig

Stuffing:

Fresh chestnuts, skinned-18; or 1/2 pound of dried chestnuts, soaked.

Dried prunes, soaked, pitted and chopped- 1/2 pound

Ground veal- 1/2 cup

Fat pork belly or bacon, finely chopped- 1/4 pound

Apples, peeled and cubed- 3

Pears, peeled and cubed- 3

Walnut halves, chopped- 12

Grated parmesan cheese- 5 tbsps

Salt- 1 tsp

Black pepper- 1/4 tsp

Grated nutmeg- 1/4 tsp

Eggs, lightly beaten- 2

Dry white wine- 1 cup

Rub the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Mix all stuffing ingredients together in a bowl, adding the turkey liver and heart, both ground.

Stuff the turkey loosely with this mixture and sew up neatly and firmly to keep the stuffing securely in place. Place the turkey on the rack of a large roasting pan. Spread it thickly with butter, sprinkle lightly with salt and place the sage and rosemary on top. Roast in a moderate oven (375F) allowing 20-25 minutes per pound of weight. Baste every 30 minutes, the first time with boiling water, then the juices from the turkey. If the breast of the turkey begins to brown too quickly, cover it with foil.

When the turkey is quite tender, take it from the oven, place it on a large heated serving dish and return it to the oven to keep it hot. Pour off most of the fat in the pan, add a little water to the pan juices, stirring and scraping the sides of the pan, and cook on top of the stove for 5 minutes. Strain over the turkey.

Serves 8-10.