NORMA'S TURKEY ALLA LOMBARDA

      Title: NORMA'S TURKEY ALLA LOMBARDA
  Categories: Harned 1994, Italian, Main dish, Pork, Poultry
       Yield: 1 Batch
  
       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.
   
   Yield:  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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