Tuscan Style Turkey Alla Porchetta Recipes

TUSCAN-STYLE TURKEY ALLA PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange prosciutto slices vertically side by side on a cutting board, overlapping each by 3/4 inch. Place turkey, skin side down, on the prosciutto slices, with wings at top and legs at bottom. Arrange turkey tenders at each side to fill in the space between the wings and legs.
• Sprinkle turkey with 2 tablespoons salt, including the back side of the tenders and under any other loose pieces of meat. Sprinkle garlic, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, rosemary, sage, and fennel pollen evenly over turkey. Arrange turkey so there are no separations (turkey should be in one even layer).
• Starting from the bottom, roll turkey tightly with prosciutto, keeping prosciutto in place. Tie together with kitchen twine at 3-inch intervals.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown rolled turkey on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a roasting rack set on a large rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center reaches 165 degrees and juices run clear, about 50 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with gravy.

TURKEY BREAST "PORCHETTA"

Steps:

• For the porchetta: The day before roasting, chop 1 teaspoon of the fennel seed and mix it with the orange zest and 2 1/4 teaspoons of the salt. Rub the turkey breast with the salt mixture, then transfer it to a gallon-size freezer bag and refrigerate over night.
• The day of roasting: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast the panko in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, stirring with a rubber spatula until golden brown. Remove to a medium bowl and add the remaining 1 teaspoon fennel seed, the red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside.
• To the same pan, over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then the apples, shallots, fennel, rosemary and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the fennel softens, about 5 minutes; add to the bowl with the panko and toss to combine.
• Unfold the butterflied turkey breast and spread the stuffing evenly over the surface of the breast. Tightly roll up the breast and tie it with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals, then tie it once lengthwise.
• Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the turkey on all sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant read thermometer reads 155 degrees F at the thickest point, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey to a cutting board, tent with foil and rest for 15 minute before slicing.
• For the gravy: While the porchetta is resting, prepare the gravy. Over medium-high heat, add the rosemary sprigs and flour to the skillet the turkey was cooked in; whisk to form a smooth paste. (If there aren't enough pan drippings to make a paste, add a tablespoon of olive oil.) Cook the paste to a medium amber color over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and cook, whisking, for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Bring the gravy to a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the gravy just before serving. Serve alongside the porchetta.

TUSCAN TURKEY ROULADE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in a large roasting pan.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel seeds and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute only. Off the heat, add the sage and rosemary and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, spread the turkey breast out on a cutting board, skin-side down. Sprinkle the meat with 4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. When the onion mixture is cool, spread it evenly on the meat. Distribute the grated butter on top. Place one layer of prosciutto on top of the butter to cover the meat completely. Starting at the left side of the turkey breast, roll the meat up jelly-roll style to make a compact cylindrical roulade, ending with the seam side down and the skin side up. Tie the roulade with kitchen twine at 1 1/2- to 2-inch intervals as tightly as possible to ensure that it will roast evenly. Slip whole sage leaves underneath each tie of the twine down the center of the roulade.
• Place the turkey roulade, seam side down, on the prepared rack in the roasting pan. Pat the skin dry with paper towels, brush the skin all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the wine and 1 cup of water in the roasting pan (not over the turkey) and roast for between 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 hours, until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature is 150 degrees F. (This depends on how large the turkey breast is.) Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice in 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve warm with the pan juices.

PORCHETTA-STYLE ROAST TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Grind fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle until very fine. Toss spice mixture and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
• Heat oil in a small skillet over medium. Cook pancetta, stirring often, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Let cool. Transfer pancetta and fat in skillet to a food processor, add garlic, and process to a smooth paste. Add sage, parsley, chives, rosemary, and lemon zest and process until smooth; set paste aside.
• Pat turkey breast dry and place skin side down on a large rimmed baking sheet so thickest part of breast is closest to you. Run your fingers underneath fillets lengthwise to detach. Using a thin, sharp blade, position knife about 3" from neck end and cut downward at a 45ºF angle into the thickest part of the breast (do not cut all the way through; you're butterflying only the top portion). Open top flap you've just created like a book. Fold fillets in half and place in the top and bottom gaps between the breasts so tapered ends are facing in. The idea is to create a layer of meat of uniform thickness across the entire breast.
• Sprinkle reserved spice mixture all over turkey flesh; rub into crevices. Rub paste all over flesh of turkey to coat evenly, working into crevices. Roll up turkey breast left to right like a jelly roll to form a log; position seam side down and tuck skin under at each end. Starting at center, tie with kitchen twine at even intervals (apply some pressure with string so turkey holds a nice round shape, but don't tie too tightly or it will bulge when cooked).
• Let rolled turkey sit 2 hours to bring to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 325ºF. Roast turkey on baking sheet until skin is golden and starting to crisp, 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove strings with kitchen shears. Drape with bacon slices, overlapping; tuck ends underneath turkey to secure. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140ºF, 30-40 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 400ºF and cook until bacon is browned and crisp and thermometer registers 150ºF, 5-10 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and let rest at least 40 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan juices.
• Turkey breast can be rolled 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered on a rimmed baking sheet.

TUSCAN-STYLE PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Score the pork skin lengthwise cutting through the skin and a quarter inch into the fat. This will help the fat render during roasting.
• Rub the mortared garlic over the entire flesh side of the pork midsection, sprinkle on the Profumo Del Chianti, rosemary, and fennel pollen.
• Roll the loin towards the belly, the loin should be wrapped up in the belly and the skin side edge of the belly and the top of the loin should meet. Tie the roll closed tightly with a butcher's twine.
• Place the Porchetta in a high sided roasting pan with rack. Add 4 cups of white wine, beer, or water to aid in the steaming process. Cover tightly with foil.
• Cook at 375 degrees for 2 hours covered to steam the skin covering the Porchetta, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F and uncover and return to oven to cook for another 20 minutes or until skin starts to blister and crisp and the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F.
• Remove from oven and rest for at least 30 minutes. Slice into one inch portions using a bread knife, the skin will be quite crispy and difficult to cut with a chef's knife, so it can be easier to peel the skin/fat cap off and cut or "shatter" that separately.