Herb Turkey Roll

The herb turkey roll is an elegant and tasty dish, perfect for special occasions or simply for a family Sunday lunch. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey breast (about 1-1.5 kg)
• 100 g of bacon slices
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh aromatic herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kitchen twine

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Open the turkey breast on a cutting board, being careful not to break it. If necessary, gently beat it with a meat mallet to even out the thickness.
3. Finely chop the aromatic herbs and garlic, then mix with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Lay the bacon slices over the turkey, covering it completely.
5. Spread the chopped herbs and garlic on the bacon.
6. Carefully roll up the turkey on itself, trying to keep the filling inside and giving it the shape of a cylinder.
7. Tie the turkey roll with the kitchen twine, making sure it stays compact during cooking.
8. Grease a baking dish with a drizzle of oil, place the turkey roll and baste it with a little more oil.
9. Bake the roll and cook it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 70 °C.
10. During cooking, baste the roll occasionally with its cooking juices.
11. Once cooked, remove the roll from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before removing the twine and slicing it.

Curiosity

Turkey is a white meat highly valued for its delicate flavor and for being lean and healthy. The addition of aromatic herbs and bacon not only enriches the flavor but also helps to keep the meat moist during cooking. In Italy, the use of aromatic herbs is a very common practice to flavor meats and bind the flavors of various ingredients.

This dish can be served with simple sides like roasted potatoes or seasonal vegetables. Enjoy your meal!