EXPRESS LINE : A New Take on Turkey

PASTA PRONTO SUPPER Pesto Alfredo Garlic Italian bread Asparagus with lemon butter Burgundy Bartlett pears This meal is inspired by two time-honored pasta sauces: pesto and Alfredo. They work beautifully together; the strong zesty flavors of basil and garlic in the pesto sauce are tamed by the creamy Alfredo. What makes this dinner especially easy is that you don’t even need to clean and mince the basil leaves--simply buy prepared pesto sauce, available in 7-ounce cartons in the cool-food section of your grocery store.

To make the dish even easier, buy smoked turkey breast and cut it, julienne-style, to fold into the hot pasta. (The turkey strips can also be served on top of the pasta.) A good substitute would be sliced pieces of leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

To complete the meal--and add color--serve tender-crisp steamed asparagus with either lemon butter or Maltaise sauce (orange-flavored hollandaise--blender-whipped, of course).

Blushing Bartlett pears, now at the tail end of their season, make a simple dessert. For a truly speedy finale, serve the crisp, sweet fruit as it is. If you have a little extra time to spare to make a beautiful presentation, peel the pears and poach them in sweetened Burgundy wine to which cloves and a cinnamon stick have been added.

PESTO ALFREDO Staples White pepper

Salt

Butter

Shopping List 8 ounces smoked turkey breast

1 small package pine nuts

6 ounces linguine

1 pint whipping cream

1 (7-ounce) carton prepared fresh pesto sauce

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut 8 ounces smoked turkey breast (or leftover roast turkey meat) into julienne strips. Toast 1/4 cup pine nuts until golden brown.

2. Cook 6 ounces linguine according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.

3. Toss with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Keep warm.

4. Combine 1 pint whipping cream, 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes to desired sauce consistency.

5. Add julienned smoked turkey and season to taste with salt. Cook just to heat through, stirring occasionally.

6. To serve, spoon hot creamy pesto over linguine and sprinkle with pine nuts and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.