Turkey alla canzanese

Turkey alla canzanese takes its name from Canzano, a small village in the province of Teramo. The turkey, cut into large pieces with skin and bones, cooks for hours in the oven in an earthenware dish with garlic, rosemary, bay and peppercorns and a little water.

When it is cooked it is left to cool: the juices, rich in natural gelatine, set around the meat. It is served cold, in pieces, with its jelly, as a starter or a festive main course.

• 1 young turkey (4–5 kg) or turkey pieces with skin and bones
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 5 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• Coarse salt
• Water

1. Singe the turkey, wash it and cut it into large pieces, keeping skin and bones; keep the neck, wings and feet, which give jelly.
2. Arrange the pieces skin side up in an earthenware dish or roasting pan; add garlic, rosemary, bay, peppercorns and salt.
3. Pour in water to come halfway up the meat and cover with a lid or foil.
4. Bake at 160 °C for 3–4 hours, turning the pieces halfway; uncover for the last half hour so the skin browns.
5. Lift out the pieces, strain the juices and let them cool; remove the fat that rises to the top.
6. Return the meat to the dish, pour over the strained juices and leave in the fridge overnight until the jelly sets. Serve cold.

• Use a free-range local turkey: the meat is tastier and gives more jelly.
• If the juices do not set well, add a turkey foot while cooking.
• It keeps in the fridge for a few days, covered by its jelly.

Photo 1: turkey alla canzanese in its own jelly. Credits: Makkodè (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons, resized; the menu icon is also made from it.

Turkey alla canzanese was born in the homes of Canzano, where turkeys were raised in the farmyards. Cooking it this way meant it could be kept for days in the winter cold, protected by its jelly.

Today it is the pride of the whole province of Teramo: it is made for Christmas, and in summer Canzano holds a festival in its honour.