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Turkey Tetrazinni



Delicious, nutritious and economical home food that will nourish the body and spirit. Serve simply with a crisp tossed green salad.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Author Valerie Lugonja

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces thin dry pasta or 250 grams
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • water to cover
  • 2 tablespoons butter x 3
  • 8 ounces mushrooms or ½ pound or 250 grams , sliced or quartered, depending upon size
  • ¼ cup flour or 60 grams
  • 2 cups milk or 500 grams
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 100 grams
  • 4 ounces cream cheese or 100 grams
  • ½ teaspoon salt , or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • ½ each of red, yellow and orange sweet bell pepper
  • salt and pepper , to taste
  • 1.5 pound skinless, boneless turkey, diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • chicken broth (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups grated Canadian Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

  1. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish
  2. Sauté mushrooms at medium high heat in large skillet with 2 tablespoons butter (3-5 minutes, until caramelized); season with salt and pepper, remove from pan and set aside
  3. In the same pan, add the next 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour over medium high heat, stirring constantly until a paste is formed (this is a roux)
  4. Slowly stir in milk ½ cup at a time, adding more liquid each time as the roux thickens until completely combined without any lumps
  5. Stir in cream cheese until melted; add Parmesan cheese, stirring til melted and season well with salt and pepper
  6. Add fried mushrooms back into the pan with the white sauce; set aside in a warm corner
  7. Pre-heat oven to 400F
  8. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; (10-12 minutes)
  9. In another skillet, melt last 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat; sauté aromatics (onion and peppers) until translucent (4 minutes)
  10. Transfer vegetable mixture to mushroom mixture; add turkey and frozen peas
  11. Strain pasta well and add to mixture; fold gently to incorporate all ingredients
  12. Turn heat to medium, stir to heat completely and combine ingredients well
  13. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary; add chicken broth, milk, or water, if needed to maintain sauce at desired consistency
  14. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish; sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese
  15. Bake until golden-brown and bubbling (18-20 minutes); serve immediately

To freeze and serve later:

  1. Cool to room temperature, wrap well, include baking instructions on top of the plastic wrap and under foil
  2. From freezer: unwrap completely; place in cold oven and set temperature to 400F, time at 1 hour (or until golden and bubbly)
  3. Thawed:
  4. Pre-heat oven to 400F, bake until tgolden-brown and bubbling (25-30 minutes); serve immediately

Recipe Notes

1. Omit 1 cup of milk, the chicken broth and the flour if using one can Cream of Mushroom Soup; add water or broth as needed
2. To Freeze: Double-wrap in plastic wrap, then foil
3. To Reheat: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, unwrap discard plastic and re-cover with foil; bake until the center is warm, 30 to 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 minutes to recrisp topping