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TURKEY STUFFED WITH CHESTNUTS

Tacchino Ripieno

You can find dried chestnuts in Italian specialty stores.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

Chestnut Stuffing

½ pound dried chestnuts

½ pound pitted prunes

¼ pound sweet Italian sausage

¼ pound pancetta, page 4, cut into 4 slices and diced

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 pears

2 apples

Salt to taste

⅓ cup brandy

1 (10- to 12-pound) turkey

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup butter, melted

Leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 sprig fresh sage or ½ teaspoon rubbed sage

About ½ cup dry white wine

⅓ cup Chicken Broth, page 23, canned chicken broth or dry white wine

Prepare Chestnut Stuffing: Place chestnuts in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover and soak overnight. Rinse chestnuts, removing any skin still attached. Place in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook chestnuts until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and set aside. Place prunes in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover and soak 30 minutes. Remove skin from sausage and break into small pieces. Put sausage and pancetta in a medium skillet. Sauté over medium heat until sausage loses its raw color, 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Squeeze excess water from prunes. Chop prunes and chestnuts. Add to sausage mixture with walnuts. Peel and dice apples and pears. Add to sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in brandy.Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Butter a large roasting pan.Wash and dry turkey thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper inside bird and outside. Stuff cavity at neck end of turkey. Close tightly using thread or skewers. Place turkey breast side up in buttered roasting pan. Brush turkey with melted butter. Sprinkle rosemary and sage over turkey. Roast 20 to 25 minutes per pound, 3 to 3½ hours. Baste several times during cooking with turkey juices or about ½ cup white wine. If turkey becomes too brown, cover with aluminum foil.

Transfer turkey to a large cutting board and cool 5 minutes. Carve turkey and arrange on a large warm platter. Keep warm in oven while preparing sauce.

Remove as much fat as possible from pan juices. Place roasting pan over high heat. Add ⅓ cup white wine or chicken broth. Deglaze pan by stirring to dissolve juices attached to bottom of pan. Boil sauce until reduced to a medium-thick consistency. Strain and place in a sauceboat. Serve turkey, stuffing and sauce hot.

TURKEY CROQUETTES

Crocchette di Tacchino

A marvelous way to transform leftover turkey into an inviting dish.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Basic White Sauce, page 205, made with 1 cup milk

3 to 4 cups chopped turkey

½ pound mortadella or boiled ham, finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1½ to 2 cups dry unflavored bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Prepare Basic White Sauce; let cool to room temperature.

Place turkey and mortadella or boiled ham in a large bowl. Add egg, nutmeg, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese,White Sauce, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Combine remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Spread on aluminum foil. Take a generous tablespoon of turkey mixture and form a small sausage shape. Roll in bread crumb mixture to coat. Press crumbs lightly onto croquette. Repeat until all mixture is used.

Pour oil 1 inch deep in a large skillet or saucepan. Heat oil until a 1-inch cube of bread turns golden brown almost immediately. Using a slotted spoon, lower a few croquettes at a time into hot oil. Turn croquettes. When golden on all sides, remove from oil with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Arrange croquettes on a warm platter. Serve immediately.

Lamb, Pork and Variety Meats

Lamb in Italy is synonymous with Easter and spring because these are the times it is traditionally