This is my favorite pasta on the winter rotay! This simple turkey ragu with fresh rosemary and thyme reminds me a little of the holidays (without spending all-day cooking). I always crave this when it’s cold out and I love that it’s so easy to prepare.
Feel free to use turkey or chicken for this recipe. I use either or, whatever I have on hand. I have made this recipe with other pasta noodles but orecchiette really works the best. The sauce fits the noodle! I actually keep orecchiette on hand specifically for this recipe because I rarely use it for anything else.
I’ve played around with this dish by adding veggies like kale (ribs removed), mushrooms, and arugula (added to individual bowls at the end).
Orecchiette with Turkey, Capers, and White Wine
This simple turkey ragu with fresh rosemary and thyme reminds me a little of the holidays (without spending all-day cooking). I always crave this when it's cold out and I love that it's so easy to prepare.
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 large skillet
- 1 strainer
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 onion white or yellow; finely chopped
- 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp capers rinsed
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- ¾ lb orecchiette pasta
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated
- ⅓ cup Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add turkey, and season with salt & freshly ground pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink and liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
- Add the white wine and boil over medium-high heat until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, capers, thyme and rosemary and bring the heat down to medium. Let this simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- While the ragu is reducing, let's get the pasta on the go. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tbsp of salt and return water to a roaring boil before adding pasta. Cook as per package instructions until just shy of al dente. Don't forget to reserve 3/4 cup of the starchy pasta water! You'll use this starchy liquid to thin out the sauce while you finish cooking the pasta.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, and parsley. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, adding pasta water 1 tbsp at a time (as needed), until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to bowls and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano, flat-leaf parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
