Remains of the Day - Pasta with Leftover Turkey Bolognese

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 Add Comment Edit

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the last of the leftover dishes I plan to feature this Thanksgiving season. It is the plainest in appearance, but I must tell you, I love the flavors that are captured in this final entry. I have a weakness for fennel in any form and the fennel seed used in this dish give this bolognese sauce a unique and quite pleasant character. I'm also appreciative that the pasta used in this dish is kissed by rather than coated with the bolognese, so it does not drown in sauce as so often is the case. Despite the bold flavors with which it's made, the sauce shows a bit of finesse and its pleasant blend of flavors makes it a natural for a family weeknight dinner. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here is how this dish is made.

Pasta with Leftover Turkey Bolognese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 pound bacon or pancetta, finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seed, lightly crushed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ( 28-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup homemade turkey broth or lower-salt canned chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup packed flat-leaf parsley
2 dried bay leaves
Kosher salt
4 cups medium-diced roast turkey
12 to 16 ounces dried tubular pasta (i.e. rigatoni or penne)

Directions:
1) Heat a wide, heavy-duty 6 to 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add pancetta or bacon and cook until its fat begins to render, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrot, onion, celery, and garlic and cook until vegetables begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in fennel seed and pepper flakes.
2) Add tomatoes and white wine. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add broth, milk, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well, return to a boil, and season with a little salt. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer until reduced by about one-third, 30 to 40 minutes.
3) Add turkey, raise heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the flavors are fully developed and sauce is thick and rich, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and season to taste with salt. Yield: 5-1/2 cups sauce.
4) Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Toss the pasta with the bolognese and serve. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.