Turkey Tetrazzini

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

This is a much better recipe than one I had been using. It comes courtesy of Lynne Rossetto Kasper who found it in Diane Morgan's The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Traditions. A great recipe, especially for those of us who like the leftovers more than we like the turkey.

Turkey Tetrazzini

(Serves 8)

1. 2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2. 12 ounces of spaghetti
3. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4. 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5. 3-1/2 cups turkey Stock or chicken stock
6. 3/4 cup heavy cream
7. 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
8. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
9. 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10. Freshly ground pepper
11. 3 1/2 cups 1/2-inch dice of roast turkey
12. 10 ounces frozen green peas
13. 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
14. 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Fill an 8 to 10-quart stockpot three-fourths full of water, cover and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. In a 10-inch saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until faintly colored, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the stock until the sauce is smooth and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream; then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the rosemary, thyme, nutmeg and pepper to taste. Stir in the turkey and peas and heat through. Tase and adjust the seasonings; then remove from the heat.

Put the pasta in the prepared dish and spoon the turkey mixture over it. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the sauce. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Turn on the boriler and quickly brown the top of the casserole. Serve immediately.

This recipe has all sorts of possibilities. You could substitute left-over roast chicken or ham for the turkey. I added some sauteed mushrooms to the mix. This is one of those recipes that you can play with.