FOR THE TURKEY

Preheat the oven to 425°F /220 C.

Bring the turkey to room temperature. Remove the neck and anything inside the cavity. Cut the neck into 1-inch chunks and place them at the bottom of the roasting pan.

Wash the turkey inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. Use your hands to gently create a cavity between the turkey breast and the skin. Finely chop the sage, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Add the salt and pepper to the mixture. Place half of the mixture inside the cavity and the other half between the breast and skin. Add the onion and chestnuts to the cavity. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Generously drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and cook at 425°F /220 C for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F/175 C and cook for another 2¼ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey and place it on a cutting board.

Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 2½ hours at room temperature. Set aside the bones and liquid to be used for the gravy. Reheat in the oven at 300°F for 15 minutes. Slice turkey and serve.

FOR THE GRAVY

Place the roasting tray with the neck bones and juices on a burner over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and chestnuts from inside the cavity. Add water, raisins, and cornstarch mixture. Whisk over medium heat until it thickens into a sauce (5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the neck bones and pour the gravy into a sauceboat.

SERVES 8-10