Ingredients

• 1 x 3-4kg fresh whole turkey, at room temperature
• 20g butter
• Cranberry sauce, to serve

Apple-rice stuffing

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 175g bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups white rice, cooked
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons sage, chopped
• 1 egg

Ricotta-herb stuffing

• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch chives, snipped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon oil

Method

• Step 1 Make Apple-rice stuffing: Heat oil in a frying pan on medium. Cook onion for 3 mins until soft. Add bacon and cook for another 3 mins, until bacon is brown. Transfer to a bowl. Add rice, apples, almonds, sage and egg. Mix well. Season to taste.
• Step 2 Make Ricotta-herb stuffing: Place ricotta, parmesan, parsley, chives, garlic and oil in a bowl. Season to taste and mix well.
• Step 3 Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Rinse out turkey and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spoon the Apple-rice stuffing into cavity. Spoon Ricotta-herb stuffing under skin of breast, through the neck end. Smooth skin with hands to re-shape. Bring neck skin over cavity and secure with a small metal skewer. Weigh stuffed turkey and calculate cooking time.
• Step 4 Fold each wing back and underneath to secure. To truss, place turkey on its back and run string around wings and underneath to cross over back. Bring string up to tie legs together, keeping legs close to body. Rub butter all over turkey and season well.
• Step 5 Place turkey on a rack in a large baking pan. Cover with greased foil. Roast for calculated cooking time, basting every 20 mins. Remove foil for the last 30 mins of cooking, to brown. To test if cooked, insert a skewer or fork into thickest part of thigh: the turkey is cooked if the juices run clear. Remove from oven and rest for 15 mins before slicing. Serve with cranberry sauce and traditional gravy (see related recipe).