Recipe: Perk up your Thanksgiving leftovers

With all the cooking leading up to Thanksgiving, I’m always grateful for leftovers. Unlike a lot of cooks, however, I don’t like serving the same lukewarm meal the next day.

I prefer my Thanksgiving leftovers in a new format. After all that rich food I’m ready for something a little perkier. Why not give this mash potato-topped turkey pie a try? Its flavors are Greek — warm cinnamon, feisty oregano — with cranberries standing in for the more usual raisins. Another selling point: it’s cooked and baked in the same skillet. And that’s another thing I’m grateful for on Black Friday—minimal cleanup!

Spicy Greek Turkey Pie

3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into a medium dice (scant 4 cups)
1 large onion, cut into medium dice
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tsp. each ground cinnamon and dried oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbs. flour
1˝ cups chicken broth
ľ cup dried cranberries
4 cups cooked turkey, shredded into bite-size piece
1 egg yolk
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes, lukewarm

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat oil in large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; saute until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onions; continue to sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper; saute until fragrant, about a minute longer. Sprinkle in flour and then stir in broth to make a light sauce. Stir in cranberries and then turkey; continue to cook until heated through.

Beat yolk into warm mashed potatoes. Use a spatula to spread mashed potato over turkey mixture. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Leaving casserole on the same rack turn on broiler and cook until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serves: 8

Per serving: 245 calories, 31g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 12g fat (6g saturated), 36mg cholesterol, 1g dietary fiber, 56mg sodium