Turkey and Pasta Florentine

http://teriskitchen.com/shared-recipes/turkey-and-pasta-florentine.html

(Shared recipe submitted by Teri Riley.)

Ingredients

   Meat Sauce

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon sherry
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch of granulated sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

   Ricotta-Spinach Mixture

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste

   Additional Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups curly pasta, such as campenelle or fusilli, cooked al dente and drained
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Crumble and sauté ground turkey until no longer pink; drain and set aside. Wipe skillet with paper towel. Add olive oil; sauté onion, bell pepper, roasted garlic, and mushrooms until tender. Add flour, stirring to make a roux. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in half & half and milk; bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until thickened. Add sherry, turkey, and remaining seasonings, heat through.

Mix together ricotta, spinach, egg, sour cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Layer in casserole: 1/3 cup meat sauce, 1/2 of pasta, 1/2 of ricotta mixture, 1/2 of remaining meat sauce, remaining pasta, remaining ricotta mixture, then remaining meat sauce. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let set 10 minutes before serving.

Disclaimer: This recipe was submitted by a contributor and has not been tested by TerisKitchen.com.

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