Turkey Pot Pie

I have been wanting to post this recipe for quite a few years now but I never seem to remember to take a picture of the final product out of the oven. Trust me a picture cannot convey how delicious this pie really is. To me, nothing says "comfort food" more than a turkey pot pie. It is the perfect meal all wrapped in delicious pastry. These little pies are truly a labour of love, but so worth it. They are great make-ahead meals for days when you do not have time to cook. Just reach into the freezer and bake, it is that easy. Unlike store bought pies, your family will love these. The taste, texture and aroma is so inviting, you will never buy a store bought pie again. I typically make these pies when I have leftover turkey but I don't wait for Christmas or Thanksgiving. I will pick up a turkey when they are on sale and store it away in my freezer until I know I have time to make the pies. I love to bring these pies camping as they are so easy to bake and serve. I always make individual pies in little round or aluminum pie tins but you can make larger sized pies as well. I like to break this project up. The day before I make the turkey mixture and the following day I make the pastry and then the pies. Sometimes I don't have the exact amount of turkey and so I will add more vegetables, if that is the case, the important point to remember is the consistency of the sauce, not too watery or too thick. So use your judgement and add a little more broth to thin the sauce if it seems too thick. More often that not, I don't have any gravy leftover but if I do it is usually less than a cup. In that case I still add the 2 cans of cream of chicken soup plus the gravy. What I am trying to say,  is concern yourself more with the consistency of the sauce rather than exact quantities.




Turkey Pot Pie

Approximately 12 individual pies depending on size of pie plate used.


Ingredients


¾ Cup butter

1 Cup chopped onions

½ Cup thinly sliced celery

1 Cup all purpose flour

1-1 ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper

6 Cups chicken broth (plus more if filling needs thinning)

4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 large potatoes, cubed

6-7 Cups chopped turkey

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup or leftover gravy or combination of the two

1 Cup frozen peas

1 Cup frozen corn

Individual aluminum pie tins




Pastry for Pies

2 Cups shortening

1 Cup butter

2 teaspoons salt

6 cups of all Purpose Flour

1 Cup cold water


Instructions for the Turkey Mixture:

In a large pot, heat butter and saute onion and celery until tender.

Stir in the flour and salt until blended evenly.

Pour in the chicken broth and mix thoroughly.

Cook until thick and bubbling.

Add gravy or cream of chicken soup.

Add carrots, potatoes and turkey.

If the sauce is too thick add more broth.

Season with pepper. Taste to see if the mixture requires more salt.

Simmer mixture over low heat until the carrots and potatoes are tender but not too tender. Watch the heat and stir often as you don’t want the mixture to scorch the bottom of the pan.

While the mixture is cooking, make the pastry.

Add corn and peas after the potatoes and carrots are cooked.

Allow the turkey mixture to cool down before making the pies.

I often make the mixture the day before I make the pies.




Instructions for the Pie Dough:


In a large bowl beat the shortening and the butter together.

Add salt, mix well.

Beat in 1 cup of flour.

Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time.

Add water all at once.

Form mixture into a ball.

Divide dough into 4 balls. Wrap each ball with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.

This will be a little sticky so use plenty of flour when rolling out the dough.

You will use 3 balls for the turkey pot pies and will have one remaining to use for something else either right away of freeze for another time. I often will make quiche with the remaining dough.




Assembling the Turkey Pies:

Unwrap one ball of pie dough.

Cut into 4 pieces. One piece will make a top and bottom pie crust for one pie.

Take the piece and cut one a little bigger than the other. The bottom crust takes a little more dough than the top. Use all scrap pieces to add to the crusts as you go so you use up all of the pie dough.

Roll the dough to approximately ¼ inch or 1 centimeter. Large enough to fit into the aluminum pie tin, with a little extra overlying the edge.

Fill tin with turkey mixture.

Roll out the top crust so that it is a little larger than the size of the tin.

Beat one egg and one teaspoon of water in a small bowl.

Using a pastry brush. Gently brush a little egg wash around the rim.

Then place the top crust on top.

Hold onto the pie and using a serrated knife cut the extra dough around the tin.

With a fork, press the edges of the dough to seal.

Brush the top of the pie with egg wash.

Poke the tip of the fork into the pie three times so steam can release during baking.

Place pie on a baking sheet. When baking sheet is full place in freezer until pie is completely frozen.

Add leftover pie dough scraps to the dough you are using in order to use it all.

Wrap frozen pie with aluminum foil until you are ready to bake.

When ready to bake. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place frozen pies on baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil to catch any drips.

Remove the aluminum foil that they were wrapped in before baking.

Bake until pies are golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

If the crust is getting too brown before the pie is cooked just gently place aluminum foil over top to stop the browning.



Print Recipe:Turkey Pot Pie




In a large pot saute onion and celery until soft.




Add flour. Blend evenly.




Add broth. cook until thick and bubbly.




Add gravy or cream of chicken soup (or combination of both). Add potato and carrots.




Add the turkey. Simmer on low until the potatoes and carrots are cooked.




Add frozen peas and corn after the potatoes and carrots are cooked. I obviously went ahead and added the corn by accident. Allow turkey mixture to cool down before making pies.


Roll out a piece of pastry to fit in pie tin.




Line pie tin with the pastry.


Add turkey mixture.


Make the egg wash.




Brush the rim of the pastry with the egg wash.


Roll out the top crust.








Trim off the excess pastry. Save the scraps.


Add caption




Seal the edges with the tines of a fork.




Prick the top with the tines of a fork three times.


Brush tops with egg wash and place on a baking sheet. Once the sheet is full, place in freezer to freeze completely. Wrap in aluminum to store in freezer.




I use an assortment of sizes for different sized appetites.




Remember I said cook turkey mixture on low and stir often to prevent scorching.
I don't always follow my own advice.




A messy project.
Cooking is hard work but hard work is worth it!