Ingredients
One whole turkey (deboned); 2 tbsp of fennel seeds; 1 tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes; 1/4 cup of chopped fresh rosemary; 6 cloves of garlic (minced); zest of 2 lemons; salt and black pepper to taste; extra virgin olive oil.
Preparation and Cooking
- Lay out the deboned turkey and place skin-side down on a work surface.
- In a small bowl, mix together fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt and black pepper, and rub this mixture all over the inside of the turkey and drizzle with olive oil.
- Then roll the turkey up, ensuring the skin ends up on the outside.
- Using butcher’s twine, tie the wrapped turkey at 3cm intervals and place inside a clay pot and close the lid.
- Cook the turkey in the wood-fired oven for 3-4 hours at 160-190o Then remove the lid and roast all sides for 5 min in Area B or see while keeping an eye on it.
- until the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F), about 2.5 to 3 hours,
- Allow the roasted turkey to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. This dish is served by slicing into thin rounds, or as a side dish with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce, a green salad, polenta, risotto, or a Caprese salad. A rich gravy and a cranberry-based sauce and a crusty bread roll may also be used, accompanied by a full-bodied white wine or a medium-bodied red wine.
Hints and Comments
- “Porchetta” comes from “porco,” pig or pork in Italian, and originally used a whole young pig that is deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over wood and has been adopted in other cuisines to describe similar cooking techniques.
The method of cooking in a clay pot with lid is all the same in other roasted meats, except the cooking time that is heavily influenced by the size of the meat product.