Leftover turkey recipe: Turkey and Bacon Diavolo from Gastrono-me in Bury St Edmunds
You know what you’re having for Christmas dinner, but there’s still the question mark of what to do with your leftover turkey. Why not try this Turkey and Bacon Diavolo, from vibrant all-day café Gastrono-me in Bury St Edmunds?
‘The marriage of turkey and bacon is always brilliant, plus the spice, and the creamy blush tomato sauce are just delicious, and elevate turkey leftovers brilliantly,’ says Gemma Simmonite, who co-owns Gastrono-me. ‘I’ve used rigatoni, but this dish would be equally delicious with fusilli, penne or any shape that will catch the delicious sauce. Diavolo is the Italian word for devil, so make sure you don’t skip out on the spice, it’s the perfect foil for the mollifying blush sauce. To make this dish quicker, prepare your sauce ahead of time – it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezes perfectly.’
Cook 45 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
25g butter
A pinch of sugar
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1½ tsp of crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp of smoked paprika
100 ml double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To finish:
Leftover turkey (enough for 2) torn into chunky strips
125g cooked smoky bacon, snipped into small strips
200g frozen petit pois
Freshly chopped chives
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the olive oil and garlic until fragrant.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, season well with salt and pepper, then add the sugar, smoked paprika and chilli flakes.
- Cook until the sauce thickened, which should take about 12-15 on a medium heat.
- When thickened, add the cream and allow to bubble for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until the cream has reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions until it is ‘al dente’, drain whilst reserving some valuable pasta water, drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta to prevent it from sticking.
- Heat a frying pan and add a good amount of sauce, add the turkey, bacon and frozen peas until warmed through.
- Add the required amount of pasta, and toss making sure all the pasta is coated, add a little of the pasta water to loosen, and to stop your sauce from becoming claggy.
- Finish with more chilli flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and a sprinkling of chives
- Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired