If you are American, and reading this, then your mind is probably focused on all things turkey at the moment. Last year I did a roundup of suggested side dishes for Thanksgiving. Nothing special, just a bunch of salads and soups that could work for you this Thursday.
This year I’m thinking that the very last thing you want to be reading about the Monday before Thanksgiving is porchetta. But bear with me, because, I think, you’re going to be needing this recipe by this coming weekend.
Last Saturday we took a day trip south of Rome to research various porchetta makers. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking “what a hard job she has.” While we obviously sampled quite a few slices of fatty, porky goodness, there was one thing I hadn’t quite counted on: too much porchetta. Yes, such a thing exists.
Because as much as we were willing, there really is a limit to how much porchetta you can get through in one week.
By day three the leftover porchetta in the fridge didn’t seem as enticing. I just couldn’t get my head around another meal whose centerpiece was slice, roasted porchetta, no matter that it was some of the best I’d ever had.
But I’m not one to waste anything either. So what to do with a few thick slices of some of the most delicious porchetta ever? Use it to make a delicious pasta sauce, naturally.
The porchetta was rich, fatty and heavily seasoned with rosemary, fennel, and garlic. The crisp skin was the tastiest part, and so I used that too. In it all went, along with an onion and celery. And few teaspoons of fennel pollen for good measure. A bit of white wine, some water and then I let it all simmer for about a half hour.
I used a bag full of malloreddus, a Sardinian pasta shape that almost looks like small gnocchi. Any smallish pasta would do, though.
The end result was delicious, and definitely a welcome change from porchetta straight up.
See where I’m going with this? Although I used leftover porchetta, you, of course, can do the exact same thing with leftover turkey. If possible, use the dark meat, and this is the place to chop up and use any and all of the leftover turkey skin you have. Definitely, use fennel if you have it, but you can also add a bit of garlic and/or rosemary to heighten the flavor. I’m also thinking that a half a cup of leftover stuffing, added once the onions are softened, might add something too.
Definitely sounding better than turkey soup, turkey pot pie or (god forbid) turkey tetrazzini. Right?
And if you are starting out with leftover porchetta? Well, the you’re ahead of the game already.
pasta + leftover porchetta {or turkey}
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4
*if you are making this with turkey, then you can add 2 cloves chopped garlic and some chopped rosemary. Although fennel pollen is expensive, do try to buy some. It's a magic ingredient in so many dishes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo / 1 pound pasta (malloreddus, gnocchi rigati or other short, chewy shapes are good choices)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups chopped leftover porchetta (or roast turkey) with skin.
- 2 teaspoons fennel pollen*
- 1 cup dry white wine
- grated parmigiano
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion, celery and salt. Stir and let cook over medium heat until well softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped meat and fennel pollen (and garlic and rosemary if you are making this with turkey). Stir and let the flavors blend for about five minutes. Add the white wine, and let evaporate. Add about a half cup of water, bring back to simmer and cover. Let cook for about a half hour.
- When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt and cook the pasta until done.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water and putting it aside.
- Reheat the sauce, and add the drained pasta to the pan, and bring to a simmer, letting the pasta heat up in the sauce. Add some of the pasta water, up to a cup, to make the pasta more creamy and moist.
- Serve, topped with grated parmigiano.
After reading about all porchetta, are you interested in learning more about it? If so, join me on a day trip to learn more about it.
Delicious! We’ve tried other leftover porchetta recipes, but this was by far the best.
Thank you! And lucky you, that you have leftover porchetta in da house. 🙂
On point and so delicious! My Italian American family enjoyed homemade porchetta for Easter yesterday and I turned the leftovers into this pasta dish! Buono!!!
I had a lot of porchetta leftover and was lucky to come across this recipe because I don’t think I could have made anything better! I’m a big carbonara fan, so this style of pan pasta and sauce really hit the spot!