Turkey Leftovers: Curried Pesto With Turkey & Radiatori

Around blogland, I’ve seen lots of recipes involving turkey leftovers. A curried turkey salad in particular caught my eye. If the weather weren’t so cold, I might have tried it. But at this point in the season, my preference is for warm foods. I’m pretty much trying to stay warm from now through June, so cold food doesn’t help. Although today is freakishly warm. I started this post last night and it was in the 40's. Right now it's 69 degrees. Today will be a great day for a nice walk.

I also saw a turkey apple pot pie recipe that I'd like to try. And here's a gluten free turkey pot pie recipe to try too. But I liked the idea of curry and turkey, so I figured I could add some pasta. Radiatori is my favorite pasta. Not only is it pretty and looks like ruffles, but it’s good at holding onto the sauce as well. I’ve seen it spelled both radiatore and radiatori. For now, I’ll use the i.

Apparently the word is Italian for radiator. And they do look kind of like mini radiators. Which I find to be rather quaint. My radiators were steaming and clanging when I started this post last night.

I wasn’t sure how I would make a curry sauce and remembered that I had some Trader Joe’s pesto sauce. Now I’m the first person to complain when I read a cake recipe that calls for a box of cake mix. That just infuriates me! So I have to admit this recipe is a bit fake. I wimped out and used store bought pesto. But I do love Trader Joe's sauces!

I have made pesto myself and it's quite easy. So if you want to be a better person than I... : ) Here are some pesto recipes that you can use too.

While I was cooking, I didn’t write this recipe down, so I’m doing my best to reconstruct what I did. I just started chopping things and throwing them together. And it worked! I loved this dish! One of the reasons I wanted to blog this recipe, is to document it so I can make it again.

A few years ago, I made a dish that I enjoyed so much that I never thought I would forget it. I kept planning to make it or write it down. I did neither, so to this day I have no idea what I made. All I know is that I won’t make that mistake again. I don't have leftover turkey that often, but this would work fine with chicken too and I will be making it again.

This recipe is very loose and the amounts are approximations. I hope you try it and let me know what you think.

Curried Pesto with Turkey & Radiatori

9 oz uncooked radiatori pasta
1 cup basil pesto
1 cup apple cider
1 small sweet onion (chopped)
1/2 cup raisins
2 T curry powder
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey

Add a bit of oil to a large sauté pan. I have a gas stove and I put the flame to medium high. Add in the chopped onions. After about 5-10 minutes, add the apple cider and stir. Let the cider cook down a bit and start absorbing into the onions. Stir in the pesto and the raisins. Add more cider if the sauce is too thick. Stir in curry powder.

Boil water and cook pasta as usual, then rinse, drain, and set aside.

In a small sauté pan, add a bit of oil and brown the turkey. Keep stirring, so the pieces don't stick. Add the turkey to the sauce. Add the radiatori and combine well. Enjoy!


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