April 6th, 2010

Cheesy Ham Tetrazzini

If you are wondering what to do with leftover Easter dinner here is a twist on my Chicken Tetrazzini (which is one of Matt's favorites.) This will make a huge dish and serve at least 8, or you can make 2 - 2 Quart dishes and freeze one. If you are freezing just let it cool and tightly cover with foil.

4 cups diced ham (or chicken)
1/2 cup flour
6 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups milk
1/2 cup white wine
1 pound linguine
1 - 10 ounce box frozen peas
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Asiago cheese*
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than instructions on package for al dente.
In a large saucepan on high heat melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and cook until brown and just tender. Remove from pan and set aside in a big bowl (big enough to toss pasta.) Add chopped onion to pan and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add to mushrooms. In the same saucepan melt remaining butter and whisk in flour. Cook about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, milk, wine and thyme (I just put the whole sprigs in and let the leaves fall off then remove stalks later.) Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and fresh ground pepper. In the large bowl toss pasta with mushroom/onion mixture, ham, peas, 1 cup Parmesan, Asiago and sauce. Pour into baking dish(es) and top with remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

If you are baking after freezing thaw in fridge overnight and then bake covered at 400° for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes until browned.

*I normally use Jarlsberg cheese in this recipe, but I had Asiago left from another recipe. You can really use any cheese that you like. You will have to adjust your salt according to how salty the cheese is.

I also make this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. If you would like to make it vegetarian use veggie stock and sub out meat with some oven roasted veggies of your choice. Any squash would hold up well. Perhaps zuchini and tomatoes. Soooo good!