TURKEY ROLL WITH SAGE AND PANCETTA
Serves 12 or 20 as part of a buffet Prep and cook time: 3 hours, 40 minutes • 3.6kg turkey buffe
(see Test Kitchen tip) • 500g turkey mince • 2 cups (140g) fresh breadcrumbs (see tip on page 99) • 4 green onions (green shallots), sliced thinly • ½ cup (70g) pistachios, roasted, chopped coarsely • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves • ¼ cup chopped fresh sage leaves • 1 cup (250ml) water • 250g thinly sliced pancetta • 2 large (400g) onions, sliced thickly • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • ¼ cup (35g) plain (all-purpose) flour • 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1. Place the turkey buffe skin-side down on a board. Using a sharp, thin knife, gradually cut the breast meat away from the bones, following the bones. Take care not to cut through skin.
2. Cut around the end of the wing knuckle near the breast and scrape the meat towards the end of the bone. Pull the bone out and trim the end to remove bone. Cut carefully around wishbone; discard.
3. Open out the breast, skinside down. Trim excess skin from the neck end. Make a cut horizontally in the thickest parts of the breast and open out to create a more even shape and thickness.
4. Remove the tenderloins and place in the centre with the thick ends on the edges to fill in the gap and the thin tips in the centre. Cover breast with plastic wrap or baking paper and flatten slightly with a large mallet or base of a heavy saucepan.
5. For the stuffing, combine mince, breadcrumbs, green onion, pistachios, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the sage and half the water in a large bowl; season well.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Cover the turkey completely with the pancetta. Form stuffing into a roll the width of the turkey. Roll up the turkey to enclose stuffing, tucking the skin over the meat. Tie with string at 2.5cm intervals. (It might be easier to hold it together with skewers while tying with string. Remove skewers.)
7. Place onion in the base of a large baking dish; place turkey roll on onion. Rub oil all over turkey; add remaining water to the dish. Roast turkey for 2½ hours or until a meat thermometer reaches 74°C. If the turkey is overbrowning, cover loosely with foil. If the pan juices are becoming too dark, add a little extra water to the dish. Remove turkey and onion from dish. Rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a jug. Skim 2 tablespoons fat from the surface of juices; return fat