The Day After -Turkey Pot Pie

On the day after Thanksgiving there is always the question of what to do with all the leftover turkey.  We know this is the day BEFORE Thanksgiving but we have a suggestion that we think you and your family will really enjoy the day after….Turkey Pot Pie:)

There are few dishes that would qualify better as “comfort food” than pot pie.  Whether it is made from chicken or turkey, it is warm, hearty and downright delicious!  And this is simple to make too.  It is a classic that is bound to become a favorite with your family.

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey , cut into cubes or shredded
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Potatoes
Peas
Turkey or chicken stock (and left over gravy if you have it)
Butter
1 cup  heavy cream
Flour
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning

Pot pie like many classic country dishes begins with what the French call a mirepoix.  There are many regional mirepoix variations,

but the classic mirepoix is the combination of carrots, celery and onion sauted with butter or olive oil, and is the base for a wide variety of dishes, such as stocks, soups, stews, sauces and of course pot pie.

After sauteing these vegetables in a stick of butter, add a 1/3 to 1/2 cup of flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw taste of the flour.  The amount of vegetables you use will depend on the amount of meat you have to add to the filling.  The total quantity of carrots, celery, onions, potatoes and peas combined should be roughly the same as the quantity of meat you have for the filling.

Stir in 2 cups of turkey stock or chicken stock and left over gravy if you have any.  You can add more stock if you have a lot of meat and vegetables to add to filling but keep the ratio of flour to stock to 1 part flour to 4 parts stock.  Continue stirring while the vegetables cook.

After the liquid begins to thicken, stir in diced potatoes,

and turkey (or chicken).

Add a package of peas and 1 cup of heavy cream.  Add salt and pepper and about 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning and taste.  Correct seasoning and add more as needed.

Filling can be spooned into individual serving dishes and toped with pie crust dough.

Cut decorative slits in the dough to allow the steam to escape while the pie is baking.

Or make one large pot pie and top it the same as individual pies with pie crust dough and make slits here too.  Brush the top of the crust with milk.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbling.

One note of advice.  What makes a pot pie really good is the ratio of filling to crust.  If you are making a large pot pie to spoon up as individual servings, be sure to pour the filling into a baking dish that allows the filling to be fairly shallow.  It should not be more than about 1″ – 1 1/2″ deep.  Then top with pie crust dough and crimp the edges along the sides of the baking dish to seal in filling.  Keeping the filling shallow insures that everyone will get plenty of flaky crust along with their pot pie  filling.

This is easy enough to make for dinner any night of the week and special enough to serve to guests at a dinner party.  Either way everyone is sure to feel “comforted” and very satisfied.  Though Thanksgiving Day is over, you’ll still be giving thanks 🙂