Turkey Left Overs: Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey Pot Pie

Recipe:

Ingredients

PIECRUST

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

3 tablespoons cold water

TURKEY AND VEGETABLE FILLING

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium-size onion, chopped

4 strips of cooked bacon

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cups turkey stock (chicken will do)

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon Basil

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups diced cooked turkey

2 cups leftover vegetables (If you don't have enough, you can substitute frozen vegetables; I used cauliflower, green beans, carrots, corn and peas)

¼ cup of cranberries (optional)

Method of preparation  

Make the Piecrust Dough: I

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add butter, piece by piece. Add the vegetable shortening too.

Toss the mixture, breaking up the pieces of butter and vegetable shortening to about half their original size.

Now use a pastry blender or hands to turn the mixture into crumbs about the size of baby peas. When you're finished, the dough should be evenly moist.

Gather up the dough and pack into a ball shape. On a floured surface, gently knead the dough once or twice. Then put the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a round cirlcle about I inch thick. If the edges of the disk crack, just pinch them back together. Wrap the disk and refrigerate it for 1 hour while you make the filling.

Prepare the Filling : Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and celery. Cover the pan and gently sweat the vegetables for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the flour. Increase the heat slightly and continue to cook and stir the mixture for 1 more minute.

Add the stock to the pan, whisking to evenly blend all of the ingredients. As the stock starts to thicken, whisk in the milk, basil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Depending on the saltiness of the stock you've used, you will likely need about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Start with a little less, then taste the sauce and add more if needed.

Stir in the turkey and vegetables and simmer the mixture, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Generously butter a, shallow casserole (about 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 inches ). Transfer the filling to the casserole and smooth the top with a spoon. Let the filling cool for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll the Crust and Top the Pie: , roll the pastry for the top crust. Put a sheet of waxed paper  on your work area and lightly flour it. Put the pastry on the waxed paper and dust it and your rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Start in the middle and push the pin out toward the edge of the disk, turning the paper as needed to roll the dough evenly.

Invert the crust, with the paper, so it is centered atop the filling. Peel away the waxed paper and gently fit the edge of the crust into the dish. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and milk for the glaze. Lightly brush the glaze onto the crust. Then use a fork to poke 2 or 3 steam vents in the pastry.

Bake the potpie on the center oven rack for 40 minutes, until well browned. Slide an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet onto the shelf below the pie, to catch any spills. Transfer the potpie to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving. 


-WOOt WOOt-
Enjoy,
The Traveling Chef Shoes