This isn’t tetrazzini as you know it. The original, ascribed to Auguste Escoffier (“the king of chefs”), was a rich mixture of sherry-spiked cream, turkey, and cheese, named in honor of Luisa Tetrazzini, a celebrated early-20th-century opera singer. This home-style version is from SAVEUR kitchen director, Liz Pearson, and makes a great use for leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Turkey Tetrazzini
This isn't tetrazzini as you know it, but a home-style version made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. dried spaghetti
- 1 lb. skinless boneless roasted turkey, torn into large chunks (about 3 cups)
- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 (7-oz.) can mushrooms, drained
- 1⁄4 cup finely chopped drained pimentos
- 3 cups (about 1⁄2 lb.) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 11″ × 13″ casserole dish with 1 tbsp. of the butter. Combine broth, peppers, onions, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add spaghetti in broken pieces, reduce heat to medium, and boil gently, stirring often, until spaghetti is al dente, 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining 1 tbsp. butter, turkey, peas, ketchup, mushrooms, pimentos, and salt and pepper to taste and fold together.
- Transfer spaghetti mixture to buttered dish and cover with grated cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Set casserole aside to let cool slightly, then serve.