Aside from turkey sandwiches (with homemade mayo?) on white bread, this might be the most delicious way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. If you have leftover greens, like kale (or even Brussels sprouts), you could also add them to the pie. You could even throw in roasted cauliflower or other leftover vegetables. Just make sure to blanch (cook quickly in boiling water or stock) raw vegetables. Don’t be afraid to make your own pie dough – it’s only the top crust, so you don’t have to deal with making and rolling out two batches of dough.

If you don’t have leftover turkey, use the equivalent amount of poached chicken or good-quality store-bought rotisserie chicken. If you poach your own chicken, you can use the poaching broth as the base of your pot-pie gravy.

Serves at least 8.

Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

For Crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Large pinch of salt (kosher)
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter (I like cultured butter), chilled and cut into cubes
3-4 tablespoons ice water

For Filling:

2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken), cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
3 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch half-moons (about 1 cup)
5 small (or one large) potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch chunks (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped kale (or other greens) (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas or edamame (optional)
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 4 tablespoons)
1 small rib celery, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or substitute dried thyme)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups chicken or turkey stock or broth
1/3 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Special Equipment: One 8- or 9-inch deep dish pie dish or casserole (4-5 quarts)

Procedure:

Make the Crust:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse just until the mixture has a course, sandy texture. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, and continue pulsing. Stop adding water when the dough just comes together (you may not need to add all of the ice water).
2. Remove the dough from the food processor and pat together to form a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk shape, then roll the disk’s sides on the counter to smooth (this will keep your dough from forming cracks when you roll it out).
3. Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a half an hour before rolling.

Make the Filling:

1. Put the potatoes in a small saucepan and just barely cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Boil gently for 5-8 minutes, or until the potatoes are just starting to soften, but still have a bit of a bite. Drain well and add to pie dish.
2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until they have just started to soften, but still have a bite, about 5 minutes. Drain well and add to the pie dish.
3. Add the optional kale to the boiling chicken stock, and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Drain well and add to the pie dish.
4. Add the optional peas or edamame to the boiling chicken stock, and cook until just thawed, about 1 minute. Drain well and add to the pie dish.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, onions, shallot, celery, and thyme. Cook and stir until the onions, shallot, and celery are softened, about 8 minutes. Do not let brown.
6. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture, and stir well. The mixture will form a mass. Continue stirring the mass for about 2 minutes. Do not let brown. (p.s., you just made a roux!)
7. Add the hot chicken stock, and using a whisk, whisk the mixture together until most of the lumps have disappeared, taking care to drag your whisk around the corners of the pan. Bring to a boil.
8. Continue whisking and add the milk. Cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
9. Add the chicken to the vegetable mixture in the dish, and pour the gravy over the mixture. Stir gently to combine. Let cool at least 30 minutes. (Otherwise, the dough topping will become soggy due to trapped steam.)

To Finish the Assembly:

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. Roll out the dough dish to about 12 inches. Top your pie dish with the filling inside it with the disk of dough.
3. Cut the edges of the dough with a pair of kitchen scissors so you have about an inch of overhang of dough over the rim of the pie dish.
4. Tuck the edges of the dough under itself, and flute the dough. (Pinch a little bit of dough with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, then poke the forefinger of the other hand into the dough in between your other two fingers.) Or use the tines of a fork to press the dough into the edge of the pie plate.
5. Cut steam vents into the top of the pie crust with a very sharp paring knife. You can re-roll the dough scraps and make little decorative cutouts (I made little leaves) using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife. If you want to do this, brush the dough with a little water so the decorations stick to the top crust.
6. Put the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the crust is a nice golden brown color. If the edges start to over-brown, cover the edges with foil and continue baking.
7. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.