Chef Mario Batali's Stuffed Turkey Recipe
Dec. 28 -- Tacchino Ripieno — for non-Italians, that means turkey stuffed with chestnuts and prunes — is chef Mario Batali’s favorite way to cook turkey because, he says, it never comes out dry.
It features a crisp-well-seasoned skin, can be baked in an hour, and may be cut straight through, just like a regular roast. The recipe is featured in Batali’s new book, Holiday Food, published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers. Prepare for a big night: This dish serves eight to12 people. Or try his recipe for Potato Cake for a sweet, savory treat.
Ingredients:
1 whole turkey breast, boned, halved and butterflied by your butcher, 5 to 6 pounds total. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus ¼ cup. ½ pound pancetta, cut into ½ inch pieces 1 ½ pounds ground pork shoulder 10 prunes, pitted and quartered 12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and halved 2 cups fresh bread crumbs 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 2 eggs 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated nutmeg 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary and sage 3 cups dry white wine
Directions:
1. Pound the butterflied breasts to flatten then season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes.
4. Add the pork and cook until it starts to brown in its own fat, about 25 minutes, stirring regularly.
5. Drain all but 4 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and add the prunes and chestnuts. Continue cooking for 8 minutes until the prunes really start to soften.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 20 minutes.
7. Add the bread crumbs, Parmigiano, eggs, pepper, nutmeg and herbs and just bring together, stirring with your hand. (Overmixing here can result in a lead torpedo for stuffing, so do not overdo it.)
