Italian Shepherd's Pie

A while back I stumbled upon a recipe for Rachel Ray's Italian Shepherd's Pie. It looked like a fun way to combine our favorite foods... veggies, pasta and cheese :)

From Italian Shepard's Pie

We didn't quite have all the ingredients on hand... so we improvized with an Italian cheese blend that had Parm, Mozzarella and Provolone. Next time, I'll be sure to add Asiago, as I believe that would make this dish superb.

Italian Shepherd's Pie - Rachel Ray (modified by Snow White)

1/2 box of whole wheat penne pasta (Healthy Harvest from Ronzini)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey (we used a little less because we always cut the meat...)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
5 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded provolone
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese, plus additional

Fill a large kettle with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta when cooked, and place pasta back in the kettle.

Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet until it's nice and brown. Add garlic, and chopped onions to turkey as it cooks. When browned, add the remaining veggies to the turkey and cook about 5 minutes until veggies are tender.

From Italian Shepard's Pie

Add 1/2 C chicken broth, tomato paste, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies reach desired tenderness, stirring occassionally. Preheat oven to 400.

From Italian Shepard's Pie

From Italian Shepard's Pie

While veggies are cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. In a glass, combine 2 C broth with 3 T flour and whisk together until blended. Add to the melted butter, and stir to combine. Add 1 C milk and heat mixture to allow it to thicken. When the mix has reached desired thickness, remove the pan from the heat, and add both cheeses and stir until completely melted. Season with additional salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the pasta and stir to combine.

From Italian Shepard's Pie

Transfter the bottom of a glass 9x13 pan with the turkey mixture.

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Pour cheesy pasta over the top of the turkey and veggies.

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Sprinkle the top with extra Asiago, and bake until cheese is golden brown; about 10-12 minutes.

From Italian Shepard's Pie