30 jumbo pasta shells (12 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey
2 cups Thanksgiving leftover vegetables (any combination of Brussels sprouts, mashed or roasted sweet potatoes, greens, winter squash, green bean casserole), diced
1/4 cup cranberry sauce (optional)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the shells and cook until tender. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water to make them cool enough to handle; set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until completely combined. The mixture will look like wet sand. Cook until the mixture begins to dry out and turn golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Gradually whisk in a little bit of the milk, then whisk in the remainder and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the salt and nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir the ricotta, turkey, vegetables, and cranberry sauce (if using) together in a large bowl.
Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Stuff each shell with about 1 heaping tablespoon of turkey filling and place in the dish seam-side up. If some shells split during the cooking process, you may have a few fragments left over, but you should end up with about 2-dozen shells in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the cheese.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 12 minutes more. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Make ahead: The shells can be stuffed up to 1 day in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.