Another staple growing up, we always made it with leftovers, whether that was chicken, turkey or ham. All work very well with this super easy casserole. I have seen versions that make it even easier with the inclusion of cream of chicken soup (instead of making the sauce). I prefer to make it with the traditional white sauce. This is a great make it ahead of time, because it's almost always better reheated.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups cooked, diced turkey, chicken, or ham, cut about an inch thick.
10 oz white button mushrooms sliced
1 medium onion finely chopped
4 Tb of butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 lb linguine
Salt and pepper to taste
Pre heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cook the pasta as directed and set aside in a bowl with the leftover meat when done. On medium heat in a large pot, melt 1 Tb of butter, saute the onions and mushrooms until onions are translucent. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove onions and mushrooms from pot, combine with pasta and meat. Melt remaining 3 Tb of butter. Add in the flour to create a rue. Cook until the flour mixture begins to brown ever so slightly (keep stirring so it doesn’t burn). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, milk and heavy cream. While whisking, bring the liquid up to a boil, then quickly turn heat down to simmer, continuing to stir until the sauce begins to thicken. This should take about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce into the bowl with pasta and mix thoroughly. Pour everything into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on the top. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before digging in or make the night before and reheat.
*Traditionally this is made with peas and a little nutmeg in it, something I never had in the version I grew up with.
