A roast turkey makes a perfect centrepiece for your Christmas in July feast. Take advantage of the cooler weather by roasting a turkey and cooking up a hot feast to enjoy with your friends and family this Christmas in July.
Roast Turkey with Ricotta Stuffing – You’ll Need:
– 7.6kg whole Turkeys
– Olive oil
– Sea salt
– Freshly ground white pepper
– 400g fresh ricotta drained
– 1 small brown onion finely chopped
– 8 cloves of garlic crushed
– 50g spinach trimmed and washed
– 180g raisins soaked in hot water for 5 minutes
– 150g unsalted butter diced
– 2 tbsp thyme chopped
– 2 tbsp continental parsley chopped
– 2 eggs
- To make stuffing, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- Blanch the spinach leaves in boiling salted water until just wilted then drain and rinse under cold water. Squeeze the excess water from the spinach and chop coarsely.
- Combine the cooled onion with the spinach, ricotta, herbs, raisins and butter. Add eggs, seasoning and mix through well.
- To prepare the turkey, press the stuffing under the skin of the turkey and into the breasts and legs, until it is firmly packed in.
- Rub the skin with plenty of olive oil and season the turkey inside and out.
- Place the turkey in a large baking tray and roast for 30 minutes on 200C. Cook a further hour on 150C then drop the temperature again to 50C. Cover the turkey with foil and allow to rest in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- To serve, remove the legs, thighs and wings at the second joint. Remove the breasts and slice each into 1-2cm thick slices. Serve on a large platter with lemon wedges. Serves 20.
For more creative Christmas cooking ideas check out our Pinterest page!
Recipe: Lifestyle Food