Penne with Turkey & Brocolli

This is the after-Thanksgiving solution that doesn’t taste like leftovers. Diced cooked turkey gets folded into a quick fresh-tasting tomato sauce built on sauteed onion, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Broccoli florets simmer in for the last few minutes to cook through tender but still bright green.

The sauce comes together in the time the penne takes to boil, which is exactly the right amount of time. Pureed canned plum tomatoes make a smoother sauce than chopped, which is what you want for a chunky pasta dish where the turkey and broccoli supply the texture.

Don’t overcook the sauce. Total simmering time is around 15 to 18 minutes from when the tomatoes hit the pan. Longer cooking sweetens and reduces the tomatoes too far, which throws off the fresh-tasting brightness this dish is meant to have.

Chef Tips

• Cut the broccoli florets into uniform 1-inch pieces. Big chunks stay raw inside; tiny pieces turn to mush.
• Cook the pasta in well-salted water, almost as salty as the sea. The pasta is the only place the dish picks up real seasoning from the inside out.
• Save a half cup of pasta cooking water before draining. If the sauce feels thick when tossing, a splash of starchy pasta water loosens it without diluting flavour.
• Use leftover roasted or grilled turkey rather than boiled. Roasted meat has deeper flavour that stands up to the bold sauce.

Variations

• Swap the turkey for shredded rotisserie chicken or cubed cooked Italian sausage.
• Substitute broccoli rabe (broccolini) for regular broccoli for a more bitter, sophisticated edge.
• Stir in a handful of pitted Kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes for extra Italian punch.