Don’t just reheat Thanksgiving surplus — rethink it

Published: November 22, 2012 

HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS164

Turkey and squash ravioli in brown butter-sage sauce.

POST — The Washington Post

Here they come again: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, all the makings of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It’s food we look forward to, then quickly tire of after the feast. It doesn’t seem as attractive the next day, the day after or (especially) the day after that.

So give your leftovers fresh appeal by repurposing them.

Wonton wrappers are ideal for making ravioli. The round ones used in this recipe are sold as gyoza or nasoya wrappers. This recipe would be a good place to use the dark meat that is often overlooked on the turkey platter. Leftover squash finds a home here, too.

These can be prepared several hours in advance. Refrigerate with waxed paper between the layers of ravioli, and cover very tightly with plastic wrap. Cook at serving time, removing them from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before you boil them. Adapted from a recipe by Terri Pischoff Wuerthner, a cooking instructor and food writer in California.

TURKEY AND SQUASH RAVIOLI IN BROWN BUTTER-SAGE SAUCE

Makes about 60 ravioli (6 servings)

For the filling

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups leftover turkey, cut into small pieces

1 cup mashed leftover squash

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the ravioli

60 round wonton wrappers (one 12-ounce package)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage

3 tablespoons chopped pecans

For the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the onion and garlic together until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the turkey, squash, cheese, parsley, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, stirring to combine thoroughly.

For the ravioli: Set out a cooling rack.

Lay out 10 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Working with one wrapper at a time, brush or dab water along the outside edge and fold the wrapper into a semicircle, pressing gently to expel air and seal the edges together.

Pick up each ravioli and use your thumb and forefinger to pinch it along the curved edge to assure a tight seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers to use all the filling, placing the filled ravioli on the rack as you work.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Working in 4 batches, add the ravioli and cook for about 4 minutes, until they are tender and rise to the top. Use a large slotted spoon or skimmer basket to gently lift the ravioli from the water and transfer them to the rack.

When all of the ravioli are cooked, heat the butter and sage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ravioli and toss gently to coat.

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the pecans. (If the skillet isn’t large enough to hold and comfortably coat all of the ravioli at once, place the ravioli on the serving platter and pour the Brown Butter-Sage Sauce over them, tossing gently to coat, then sprinkle with the pecans.)

Nutrition per serving: 540 calories, 17 g protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 34 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar

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