Ingredients

• 8 slices mild pancetta, chopped
• 1/3 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
• 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh sage
• 2 green shallots, ends trimmed, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 140g (2 cups) fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (made from day-old sourdough bread withcrusts removed)
• Pinch of salt
• 6kg (fresh or thawed frozen) turkey, neck removed
• 40g butter, melted
• 8 chat (small coliban) potatoes, halved
• 2 bunches baby (Dutch) carrots, scrubbed,tops trimmed to 3cm
• 4 red onions, quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Apple gravy

• Pan juices from the roast turkey
• 10g butter
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 125ml (1/2 cup) apple juice
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Step 1 Combine pancetta, parsley, sage, shallot and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Combine breadcrumbs and pancetta mixture in a large bowl and season with salt.
• Step 2 Preheat oven to 180°C. Rinse turkey inside and out under cold water. Pat dry with paper towel. Fill cavity with sourdough mixture. Tie legs together with unwaxed white kitchen string. Tuck wings under. Place turkey, reastside up, in a roasting pan. Brush with butter and cover with non-stick baking paper. Roast in oven, basting every 30 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours.
• Step 3 Remove from oven and remove paper. Place potato, carrots and onion around turkey. Drizzle with oil and season with salt. Roast for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting every 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a skewer.
• Step 4 Turn off oven. Transfer turkey to a platter. Remove string from the legs. Cover with foil and set aside for 15 minutes to rest. Cover vegetables with foil and return to oven to keep warm.
• Step 5 To make the gravy, strain juices from roasting pan into a jug. Melt butter in roasting pan over medium heat until foaming. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Gradually add pan juices and 125ml (1/2 cup) of the wine and stir, scraping pan with a flat-edged wooden spoon to dislodge any bits on the base, until mixture boils. Gradually stir in remaining wine and apple juice, and boil gently for 5-6 minutes or until gravy thickens. Taste and season with salt. Strain into a heatproof serving jug.
• Step 6 Carve turkey across the grain and serve with potato, carrots, onion and gravy.