Turkey Flattie with
Pistachio Stuffing
Ina Paarman
A friend, Nicci Seymour, inspired this delicious recipe. On Christmas Day her
husband, John, cooks the flatty outside on the kettle braai while she organises the
rest of the menu in her kitchen.
You will need:
1 small/medium turkey (3 – 3.5kg)
1 x 100 g Ina Paarman's Poultry Stuffing Mix
½ cup (125 ml) boiling water
1 x 25 g Ina Paarman's Liquid Chicken Stock
2 T (30 ml) olive oil
1 orange, zest and ½ cup of the juice
250 g pork sausages, meat removed from sausage casing
100 g pistachio nuts, shelled and roughly chopped
50 g cranberries, sultanas or Turkish apricots (cut into strips)
2 T (30 ml) fresh thyme leaves
Seasoning
Ina Paarman's Lemon & Rosemary Seasoning or Chicken Spice
2 T (30 ml) butter, melted
2 T (30 ml) olive oil
Topping and Gravy
streaky bacon (optional)
2 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Ready to Serve Roast Chicken Gravy
Garnish
orange wedges
fresh thyme
Method
Spatchcock the turkey by removing the back bone with sharp kitchen scissors or a cook's knife. Turn the
turkey over with the cut side on the chopping board. Pull the drumsticks towards you and press down
hard on the breast bone to “flatten” the turkey. The breast bone will crack when it breaks.
To prepare the stuffing, pour the Poultry Stuffing mixture into a medium mixing bowl and add
boiling water, Chicken Stock, olive oil, orange zest and juice. Mix lightly and leave to stand for 5
minutes to hydrate.
Add the sausage meat, chopped pistachios, cranberries and fresh thyme. Mix until just blended.
Season the bony underside of the turkey with Lemon & Rosemary Seasoning. Using your hand
gently loosen the skin of the turkey by separating the skin from the meat. Loosen all the way to
the drumsticks. Stuff the turkey under the skin making sure that the complete turkey is evenly
stuffed. Snip off the wing tips and secure the wings with a skewer. Cover the ends of the
drumsticks with foil. Season the skin side and brush with the butter/oil mixture.