Turkey Tetrazzini

What to do with leftover turkey? It's one of the fanciest problems in the world. Once you've gnawed the wings and sandwiched to your heart's content, consider how fabulous the rest would be baked into a luscious, creamy, crunchy-topped casserole: classic turkey tetrazzini. Start with a green salad, then dive into the tetrazzini. Way to keep the comfort-food party going!

Serves 6.

Ingredients

8 ounces dry spaghetti, or other long pasta

6 tablespoons butter, plus a little more for buttering the baking dish

8 ounces crimini or white mushrooms, sliced

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups whole milk, or a combination of milk and half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground white pepper

4 cups roughly chopped turkey (skin removed)

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, divided

1/2 cup dried plain bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente; drain and toss so it doesn't stick; set aside. While the pasta cooks, generously butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish or soufflé dish.

2. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large sauté pan or, if you're as lazy as I am, the same pot you just used to cook the pasta. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring now and then, until the water has gone out of them, about 6 minutes. 

3. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir, cooking the flour, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth and milk and keep cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and 10 or 12 grindings of white pepper, then add the turkey, the drained spaghetti and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan and toss with two spoons to combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parm with the bread crumbs. Turn the turkey-pasta mixture into the buttered baking dish, top evenly with the bread-crumb mixture and bake about 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden-brown.