Pasta with Turkey Bolognese

Serves 6

To learn more, read:
Cook Once/Eat Twice: The Ultimate Roast Turkey
by Maria Helm Sinskey
from Fine Cooking
Issue 107
Last Edit Date: 11/24/2010 9:40:50 AM

For a spin on the classic (and a chance to use Thanksgiving leftovers), we’ve replaced the customary ground meat with diced roast turkey. If you have leftover broth from the Turkey Soup with Dill, Parsley, and Chive Dumplings, it's perfect here. For a smoky flavor, substitute bacon for the pancetta.

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1/2 lb. 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 tsp. fennel seed, lightly crushed
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
One 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
1 lb. dried rigatoni or penne (or another sturdy pasta shape)

Heat a wide, heavy-duty 6- to 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until its fat begins to render, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the fennel seed and pepper flakes.

Add the tomatoes and white wine. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the broth, milk, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well, return to a boil, and season with a little salt. (Underseason, as the sauce will reduce and concentrate the salt.) Lower the heat to medium low and simmer until reduced by about one-third, 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the turkey, raise the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the flavors are fully developed and the sauce is thick and rich, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and season to taste with salt.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Toss the pasta with the bolognese and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Garlic-Parmesan Bread.

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by butta211, 1/17/2012Didn't care for this at all. Sauce turned out to be very watery and bland and didn't get any better as leftovers. I didn't use leftover turkey and instead used ground which may have made a slight difference but not sure. Just bland.

by lagrandchef, 11/30/2010This was very good-my husband said it was better than the Thanksgiving turkey!

by mosker, 11/27/2010This was great. My new "Friday after Thanksgiving" dish. I, too, used bacon, but other than that followed the recipe exactly.

by TheMomChef, 11/14/2010Made this with leftover turkey from the porchetta style roasted turkey breast in the same issue. It was excellent. Read my full review at: http://themomchef.blogspot.com/2010/11/turkey-bolognese-from-fine-cooking.html

by Elonios, 9/12/2010I used bacon and chicken (2 breasts),other than that I followed the recipe (except for a few dashes of red wine vinegar at the end because I didn't want to add more salt) and it was delicious. So flavorful and hearty. Usually make bolognese with pork, but I really enjoyed the chicken instead. Will definitely make this again. I topped with fresh basil and pecorino and will do that again.