Thanksgiving Leftovers: Make This Delicious & Unexpected Turkey & Pasta Dish from De Cecco, the Premium Italian Pasta
New York, NY (PRWEB) November 19, 2013 -- If you're like most people, when you think about Thanksgiving dinner you probably anticipate the leftovers nearly as much as the meal itself. Take advantage of the seasonal sales and buy a turkey even if you have Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere, or buy an extra if you have the freezer space. Turkey can replace chicken in many recipes including salads, soups, casseroles and pasta.
De Cecco (http://www.dececcousa.com), a leading manufacturer of premium Italian pasta offers the following “Thanksgiving Turkey Leftover Recipe”, that’s unexpected, easy to prepare, and delicious.
Angel Hair Nests with Turkey and Leek
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 – 2 packages of De Cecco Angel Hair Nests
5 tablespoons De Cecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1-1.5 cups cooked, skinless turkey breast
5 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and thinly sliced
1 cup water
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions, divided
1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cut cooked, skinless turkey into bite-size pieces or shreds; set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Reduce heat to medium, and add leeks. Cook 7 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Add water, 1/2 cup green onions and wine; cook, covered, 10 minutes or until leeks are soft. Transfer mixture to a blender. Cover and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cover and keep warm.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 3 batches, gently lower pasta into boiling water. Cook 6 minutes or until al dente. Carefully remove pasta with a large slotted spoon, gently shaking to remove excess liquid. Repeat procedure with remaining pasta. Arrange cooked pasta nests on a large rimmed platter. Spoon sauce evenly over each nest. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, and top with turkey. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup green onions.
De Cecco is Italy’s premium pasta, chosen by renowned chefs because they know the secret to making unsurpassed pasta – the De Cecco difference! Carefully crafted in the mountains of Central Italy, De Cecco uses a proprietary process to make its 160 pasta varieties. Production starts with De Cecco’s full control of the milling process, using only the heart of durum wheat to produce premium semolina, mixing it with cool natural waters from De Cecco’s own mountain spring, drawing the semolina dough through bronze dies and drying the pasta very slowly at low temperature.
Over the years De Cecco has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, and was recently inducted to the Italian Trade Commission’s Hall of Fame. Founded in 1886 by the De Cecco brothers in the Abruzzo region of central Italy, today De Cecco exports to more than 87 countries and is the world’s third largest manufacturer of pasta. Their product line includes premium pasta, sauces, and its own brand of olive oil, among other related fine foods.
Tips for Storing Turkey leftovers*:
• Store leftover turkey properly to prevent food poisoning. From the time you take the turkey out of the oven, you have 2 hours to serve it, eat it, and then refrigerate or freeze the leftovers - the turkey, stuffing and gravy. Why just two hours? Because bacteria that can cause food poisoning can multiply to dangerous levels on perishable food left longer than 2 hours at room temperature.
• Large quantities of turkey should be deboned, divided into smaller portions and stored in several small or shallow covered containers. That’s because food in small amounts will get cold more quickly.
• Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. .
• For longer storage, package turkey in freezer paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze. Proper wrapping will prevent "freezer burn".
• Frozen cooked turkey should be used within 4-6 months.
• Frozen cooked turkey can be added to casseroles, soups, pastas and other cooked dishes.
*USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-535-4555)
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Vicki Garfinkel Jakubovic, Block & DeCorso, +1 (973) 519-8926, [email protected]
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