Ingredients
- 2 skin-on turkey thigh (about 1 pound each)
- kosher salt
- 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 2 sprigs
- 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary, plus 1 sprig
- 2 finely chopped sage, plus 3 whole leaves
- 2 tbsp cloves garlic
- 1 extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut lengthwise into eighths
- 1 carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Lightly season the turkey thighs all over with salt and pepper. In a large mortar, pound the chopped parsley, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage until crushed. Add the garlic and 1/2 tablespoon salt, and pound until a paste begins to form. Mix in the olive oil.
Rub half of the herb mixture over the flesh of one of the turkey thighs. Repeat with the other thigh. Roll each thigh roughly into a cylindrical shape and tie it with two to four loops of twine to secure.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, parsley sprigs, rosemary sprig, sage leaves, white wine and 1/2 cup of water to a 9 x 13-inch roasting pan. Add the turkey thighs to the pan, cover loosely with foil, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, baste the turkey thighs with the pan juices, and continue cooking until the thighs register 165°F (74°C) on a meat thermometer, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the thighs from the pan and set aside on a carving board, tenting loosely with foil.
Heat the broiler to high and return the vegetables to the oven. Broil until the vegetables are nicely browned and remove. Transfer the veggies to a platter with a slotted spoon. Strain the juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving bowl.
Remove the kitchen string from the turkey thighs and carve into slices. Transfer to the platter with the veggies and drizzle with some of the pan juices. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
Recipe courtesy of The Southern Italian Farmer’s Table: Authentic Recipes and Local Lore from Tuscany to Sicily by Matthew Scialabba & Melissa Pellegrino/Lyons Press, 2012.
