Savory Turkey Pot Pies

I love leftover turkey. It's a good thing too because we usually have some. Kat and I have access to wonderful free range turkeys from the Diestel Family Turkey Ranch. They are fabulous and relatively inexpensive when compared to other meats. Turkey is versatile and allows for creativity. There are several ways to go about cooking it and once it's roasted, fried or smoked there is no end to the variety of dishes you can create! One of my favorites is the pot pie.

The concept is as basic a recipe as you can have. Meat, vegetables, gravy, pie crust. Very simple and yet if any of those items fails, the whole pie fails. I use savory in the gravy, a wholly forgotten herb in the modern kitchen. It's great with poultry so I usually have some on hand. Lacking savory, sage with do nicely as well.

A great pot pie starts with a great crust. I make an herbed butter crust that bakes up fluffy and crispy. Adding dried sage to the crust not only gives it wonderful flavor, but a delightful smell as it is about to be eaten!

You have the choice of either baking individual single serving pies, great for freezing, or one large pie. You will have enough crust for either. Personally, I prefer the single serving pies. I have a set of Corningware ramekins that are about 4" across and 2" deep, perfect for pot pies! If you are using dishes of this size, keep in mind that this recipe makes 4 pies. If making a large pie, just use a standard 9" pie dish.

The crust will need to refrigerate for at least an hour so I start there. In a food processor, pulse together;

1¼ c all purpose flour

2 t dried sage

½ t salt

Add to the flour mixture;

1 stick butter, cubed and frozen for at least 15 minutes

Pulse about 10 times, until flour looks crumbly. In small bowl, whisk together;

1/3 c ice water (reserving another 1-2 T on the side)

1½ T sour cream or plain yogurt

Add half of liquid mixture to flour and pulse until combined before adding the rest of the liquid. Pinch batter – if it sticks together, it’s done. If not, add a tablespoon of ice water and pulse briefly. When dough is crumbly but moist enough to stick together when pinched, turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into 4” disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 2 days. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling out.

When you are ready, preheat your oven to 375. In small saucepan, prepare roux with;

3 T butter

3 T all purpose flour

Set aside. In large skillet, combine and sauté;

1 T butter

½ c chopped onion

½ c sliced carrot

1 c diced potato

Cook over med heat until veggies begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add;

2 c chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1½ c chicken broth

¼ c dry white wine or vermouth

½ c frozen peas

2 T chopped fresh parsley

2 t dried savory

1 clove garlic, minced

½ t lemon zest

salt and pepper to taste

Cook until heated through, then add enough roux to thicken along with;

½ c milk

2 T grated parmesan cheese

When gravy thickens, pour into your pie dish(es). If making individual pies, cut dough into appropriate number of pieces. Roll out crust and lay over top of dish(es), cutting 2 or 3 slits and pressing down the edges with a fork. Brush top of pie with;

1 egg, beaten

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a nice side salad and you'll have 4 very happy tummies afterward!

Pot pies are fun to play with as almost anything can go in them. Add mushrooms, broccoli, pork or beef, beans, the list goes on. Experiment and let me know what you come up with. I'm always eager for new ideas!

Cheers!