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Recipes

Turkey Etcetrazzini

By Cal Peternell

3.8

(9)

A bowl of turkey etcetrazzini next to a folded napkin and fork on a set table.
Photograph by Isa Zapata.  Food Styling by Cyd McDowell.  Prop Styling by Paige Hicks.

Tetrazzini—a classic homey pasta dish usually made with chicken—gets the Thanksgiving treatment with this recipe adapted from chef and cookbook author Cal Peternell’s latest book, Burnt Toast and Other Disasters. Even the driest, overcooked turkey can be revitalized when added to a rich bath of mushrooms, heavy cream, and white wine. The result is a luscious sauce for coating a pot of pasta, as well as any “etceteras” from your holiday table: roasted brussels sprouts, sautéed green beans, cooked greens, and even cranberry sauce all make great additions.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

2

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil

2

Tbsp. unsalted butter

1

medium onion, coarsely chopped

1

lb. mushrooms (any kind), torn or chopped into bite-size pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

1½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

6

sprigs thyme, leaves picked

1

bay leaf

½

cup dry white wine

1½

cups heavy cream

3

cups shredded leftover roast turkey meat

1

lb. short pasta (such as farfalle, fusilli, or orecchiette)

2

cups leftover Thanksgiving sides (such as roasted brussels sprouts, sautéed green beans, or cooked greens; optional)

2

oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), divided

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 375°. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high. As soon as butter is melted, add onion, mushrooms, plenty of pepper, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and mushrooms are browned, 10–15 minutes. Stir in thyme and bay leaf, then pour in wine; cook, stirring, until reduced by a third, about 1 minute. Stir in cream and remove skillet from heat. Stir in turkey.

    Step 2

    If your skillet is ovenproof, transfer to oven; if not, transfer turkey mixture to a 2-qt. baking dish. Bake until browned on top and bubbling and turkey is very tender, 50–60 minutes (start checking after 40 minutes).

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

    Step 4

    Stir turkey mixture, leftover sides (if using), three quarters of Parmesan, and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid into pasta to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring often and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until saucy, about 2 minutes.

    Step 5

    Divide among bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan and more black pepper if desired.

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Adapted from ‘Burnt Toast and Other Disasters: A Book of Heroic Hacks, Fabulous Fixes, and Secret Sauces’ by Cal Peternell. Copyright 2021 by Cal Peternell. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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Explore Bon AppétitDinnerMainTurkeyPoultryEasyMushroomVegetablePastaGreen BeanThanksgivingFarfallePasta & NoodlesFusilliOrecchiette