NORMA’S TURKEY ALLA LOMBARDA

Servings: 1
Ingredients:

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.

Servings: 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.

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