Posted By Mary Freeland on November 18, 2010

Thanksgiving will fast be upon us here in the states. It’s not necessarily a holiday celebrated in Italy but this week we’ve brought a little Tuscany to your leftover turkey. The melding of two cultures to make a meal to be thankful for.

Toscana Turchia Lasagna
Tuscan Leftover Turkey Lasagna

* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 gloves of garlic minced
* 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
* 2 cups leftover turkey (cubed or chopped finely)
* 1 cup cooked broccoli (chopped) or leftover Brussels sprouts (chopped)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* ¼ cup flour
* ⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
* ¼
* 1 ½ cups milk (or heavy cream)
* Lasagna macaroni (made from the recipe we shared or purchased, 1 pound)
* 1 cup Ricotta (drained and seasoned with dry oregano to taste)
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Saute the chopped onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil until translucent. Add chopped turkey and broccoli, stir to coat and set aside.

Now move on to make a quick beshamel or “white” sauce. Over low heat melt butter into ½ tablespoon of oil in a small sauce pot. Add in flour, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly until well combined and slightly golden. . Return to low heat, whisk in milk and cook until thick.

In a lasagna pan or casserole dish place a small amount of beshamel. Coat the bottom of the dish and put down a layer of macaroni. Top that with Ricotta, followed by turkey, broccoli, more beshamel and lastly the mozzarella. Repeat until pan is full. NOTE: The top layer should be macaroni covered with beshamel and topped with cheese. A nice fresh grate of Romano or Parmesan gives a great flourish of flavor. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-50 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is golden. Now give even more thanks for that lovely holiday bird.

Il dono di ringraziamento è un dono grato
The gift of thanks is a thankful gift

Categories: Italian Recipes
Tags: holiday meals, Italian Recipes, Tuscan kitchen, Tuscany