Turkey breast with speck

Name: Turkey breast with speck
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Turkey breast 2.6 lbs; Speck sliced 5.3 oz; White wine 1 ¼ cup; Vegetable broth 1 cup; Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp; Butter 2 tbsp; Type 00 flour 3 spoonfuls; Rosemary to taste; Sage to taste; Fine salt ½ tsp

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Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Loredana Cavotta

Turkey breast with speck—it is like bringing a slice of Northern Italy right to your table. Really, really tasty stuff. Up in those mountains, speck is a big deal. I mean, it’s got this deep, smoky flavor that's way, way different from regular ham. And listen, when you wrap a turkey breast recipe in thin slices of speck—known as bardatura—it keeps everything super moist during roasting. Thing is, the speck doesn’t just sit there. It really sinks into the meat, giving you a tender bite with this wild mix of rich, salty and almost sweet notes. So, folks in places like Trentino and Alto Adige love using it for special dishes when they want to impress.

Plus, the best part? All those pan juices turn into a simple sauce—smells amazing—and adds even more punch to every bite. For a cozy meal in colder months or a big dinner, a speck-wrapped turkey is the kind of thing you pull out to make everything feel special. And some families up north add a twist with stuffed turkey breast, using stuff like chestnuts or herbs for extra flavor. It's all about that classic bardatura technique, locking in juicy texture while letting the speck’s taste shine. Even folks who think turkey gets dry are surprised by how succulent and flavorful this dish turns out.

And you know what? Serving it with the sauce made from the turkey’s own juices gives you a bit of extra richness—making every slice just right. For real, for those looking for Italian turkey recipes that stand out—something a little more festive than the usual—this turkey breast with speck is a great pick. It’s crispy on the outside, super moist inside, and packed with real northern flavor. Perfect for a holiday or Sunday dinner with friends. Also, it’s a fun way to explore the culinary traditions of Northern Italy without leaving your kitchen. Can't go wrong.

How to prepare Turkey breast with speck

To prepare the turkey breast with speck, first lightly salt the meat and massage it 1. Lay half of the speck slices on a cutting board, overlapping them slightly 2, and then place the turkey breast on top 3.

Cover with the remaining speck slices, overlapping them and covering the meat evenly 4. Now proceed to How to tie a roast with kitchen twine. First, form a large loop and pass it laterally, then tighten it at the end 5. Now form a large loop and twist it twice before passing it under the piece of meat, tightening it, and creating a loop around the meat. Repeat this process 5 more times, moving a few inches each time and tightening well to keep the shape during cooking. Insert some rosemary sprigs between the kitchen twine 6.

Pour olive oil and butter into a large pan and heat them together. Place the stuffed turkey breast on top 8, along with some rosemary sprigs and sage leaves. Let it brown over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turn it over 9, and let it brown on the other side for another 5 minutes. Pour 7 oz of white wine into the pan 9

and after 5 minutes, add the vegetable broth 10. Cover with a lid 11 and let the roast cook over medium heat for about 50 minutes 12.

Preheat the oven to 338°F. Transfer the roast to a baking dish 13 and keep it warm in the oven for 10 minutes. Strain the cooking juices remaining in the pan and transfer them to a saucepan. Add the remaining 3.5 oz of white wine 14 and the flour 15.

Mix well and let the sauce thicken over low heat 16, stirring with a whisk for 4-5 minutes. Gently remove the twine by cutting it into several pieces with scissors 17. Slice the turkey breast with speck 18 and serve it with the accompanying sauce.

Storage

The roast can be stored in the fridge in a container for 2 days. It can be frozen sliced, with the sauce frozen separately in a container. You can prepare the roast by wrapping it in speck and tying it with kitchen twine the day before and store it in a container in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking.