The meal is not supposed to look perfect. It is just supposed to taste really good and it does.
Turkey leftovers can be turned into delicious, creamy pot pie – the ultimate in comfort food. Comfort foods are my favorite part of the Fall and Winter seasons. It is the perfect time of the year for meals like this. You kind of have this excuse to curl up in front of the fire with a bowl of something that was prepared by hand and cooked all day.
The recipe makes enough 6 individual pot pies.
You will need only half for 6 individual pot pies, so freeze the remaining dough for a single-crust pie, or future pot pies. Pot pies may be assembled 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to bake.
Ingredients for crust:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup/2 sticks. unsalted butter, cold, cut in 16 pieces
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup goat milk, or more if needed
Ingredients for filling:
- 3 to 4 cups. diced turkey, from leftover turkey or roasted half-breast
- Vegetable oil
- 2 slices bacon (not thick-cut)
- 1/2 cup/1 stick. unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup. finely chopped yellow onion
- 4 cups. chicken or turkey stock
- 1 cup. small red potatoes, cut in roughly 3/4-in. dice
- 1 cup. carrots, peeled, cut in roughly 3/4-in. dice
- 1/2 cup. flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- Several grinds of freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup. frozen peas
- 1/2 cup. minced fresh parsley leaves
*A roasted half-breast makes about 3 to 4 cups of diced turkey. You also can substitute chicken, or use more vegetables. whatever is in your fridge, just make sure your total ingredients add up to 6 to 7 cups. The bacon is optional.
Ingredients for glaze:
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
Directions for crust:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the larger remaining chunks are the size of small peas.
- Drop the egg yolk into a liquid measuring cup and add milk until you reach exactly 2/3 cup (you’ll use about 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon). Mix the egg yolk and goat milk with a fork until combined, then add it to the flour mixture all at once. Mix the dough with a fork until you can gather most of it into a ball. This is most easily done in the bowl, like packing a large snowball; if it seems any drier or more difficult than that, add another tablespoon of goat milk.
- Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and as long as 2 days. Let dough come to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it.
Directions for filling:
- If you are roasting a half-breast of turkey, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly rub turkey with oil and roast in shallow pan until temperature probe registers 170 degrees, 50-60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut into 3/4 inch dice. If not using immediately, keep refrigerated.
- Cook bacon, if using, until crisp. Remove to paper towels to cool, then crumble.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter, then add onion and sauté over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
- While the onions are cooking, heat the stock to just boiling. Add potatoes and carrots to the stock and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly tender. Turn off heat. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
- To the softened onions, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the hot stock to the onions and simmer until thick, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
- Stir in salt, pepper and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Add turkey, potatoes, carrots, peas and parsley, stirring to mix well. Check for proper seasoning. Remove from heat.
To assemble pot pies:
Divide the filling among 6 (8-ounce) ovenproof ramekins or straight-sided dishes no more than 4 inches wide. Crumble bacon and divide among the pies. If there is any leftover filling, serve it on toast!
Directions for glaze:
- In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with 2 teaspoons cream. Set aside.
- Remove crust dough from plastic wrap – Remember: you took it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes ago, and place on lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 10- by 16-inch rectangle. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut six (5-inch) squares. You will use the remaining inch of pastry to make decorative leaves.
- With a small brush or your finger, brush the rim of each bowl with beaten egg yolk, then drape pastry over the filling, pressing gently on rim to seal. Brush the entire surface of pastry with egg glaze.
- With a sharp paring knife, cut small leaf shapes from the remaining dough, using the blade to press “veins” into the surface. Arrange 2 or 3 leaves on each pie. Stir paprika into the remaining egg glaze, then paint the leaves with this tinted mixture.
- Place pies on a rimmed baking sheet; this will catch any possible drips. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbling hot.
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*Nutritional facts:
Per serving contains 481 Calories; – Protein 13.9g, Carbohydrates 45.4g, Fat 27.3g, Cholesterol 38.2mg, Sodium 668.9mg.
