The turkey is a domestic bird also called "dinde" or "bird of India" because it originates from the West Indies. Until a few decades ago in our country, Italy, turkey was not particularly appreciated, while overseas, in the USA, it was the national dish consumed on Thanksgiving and at Christmas. Now it has entered our food tradition and, above all, it has also become the symbolic dish of Christmas for us (replacing, in some regions, the capon).

The turkey, if of American breed, can reach up to 44 pounds, while the homegrown (Italian) varieties range from a minimum of 9 to a maximum of 11 pounds. A good turkey must have white skin, white subcutaneous fat and soft, not dry meat. On the Italian market there are whole animals (almost exclusively during the Christmas period) or legs or rump.

Whole turkey is excellent roasted and stuffed; the rump is cooked in escalopes, rolls, roasted and breaded.