With winter upon us, the air is getting colder and the days are fading to black much more quickly than they were last month. I don’t know about you but December 21st, the Winter Solstice can’t get here soon enough! The shortest day of the year is but a moment in time which gives way to longer days and shorter nights. Love it.
During these short days and long nights, we always seem to crave meals that take a little time but reward you with a home full of wafting smells that take you instantly of childhood gatherings at Grandma’s or Mom in the kitchen. Both of these women could turn a little food into a belly full of goodness that warmed you to your soul as it was chalked full of love.
Making Turkey Pot Pie with leftover poultry from Thanksgiving dinner is, for me, an tribute to both my Mom and my Grandmother. My mom could make a pie crust that was perfection. My grandmother was used to cooking for an army so her combination of meat or poultry, veggies and spices was scrumptious. Let me be clear, Grammy didn’t cook for an actual army. She’s cooked for 5 children, their spouses and 13 grandchildren almost every weekend. Many times her sisters, their children and their children’s children plus friends joined in the weekend festivities as well. Their little house was hub of good food, good conversations and good times.
What Mike and I did, was create a recipe for Turkey Pot Pie that was full of flavor with a pie crust that was perfection. Light and fluffy yet thick enough and strong enough to hold together when sliced into servings. This recipe is bringing our culinary memories to life. Since we did not have any guide to go by, we trial and erred it, documenting what we did through pictures and jotted notes. What makes ours unique is that we use both dehydrated veggies and fresh ones, plus many homemade ingredients. The versatility of this recipe is also unique in that all the ingredients are easily convert to Gluten Free/Dairy Free straight across the board without adding anything extra than what you see.
Listed next to each ingredient will be the original ingredient and the alternative. There is NO change in the measurement of said anything. Timing of baking is the same as is the oven temp. Start to finish! Easy Peasy! Let’s get cooking, shall we?
Equipment Needed: One large saucepan One small saucepan One wooden spoon One spatula One Whisk One large mixing bowl One pastry cutter - if you have one, a fork if you don’t. One Deep Dish Stone Baker from Pampered Chef which they don’t sell anymore. I say use what you have that works for you. Measuring cups Measuring spoons Dinner Fork Plastic wrap or parchment paper
Make the Pie Crust first because it has to be refrigerated for 45 minutes to an hour which is plenty of time to make your filling!
Ingredients for Pie Crust: Pretty basic but the way one mixes it is most important!! Flour or Gluten Free Baking Flour (We use Bob’s Red Mill but feel free to use your brand.) Crisco reg or butter. For Gluten Free I recommend you use Palm Oil as it is similar constancy to Crisco. Coconut Oil solidified is okay but you will get a different consistency and texture. If you choose to use Real Butter, cut it into small cubes and skip the salt. Salt - Totally optional as it’s a flavor enhancer. ICE COLD water.
DIRECTIONS FOR PIE CRUST:
In your large mixing bowl, place combine 4.5 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt if you so choose to use salt. Give it a quick gentle mix using the Dinner Fork.
Add in 1 1/3 cups Crisco, cubed butter or alternative shortening. Use your pastry utensil to work the shortening or alternative into the flour until it looks like a crumbly bowl full of goodness.
Adding 2 Tablespoon of ICE COLD water at a time. After each 2 Tbs., mix the flour, salt, shortening combo gently with the fork. Repeat for the next 6 Tablespoons as you will notice the dough beginning to cling together.
As you gently work your dough into the final ball, add ICE COLD water 1 Tablespoon at a time until the dough can be gathered with your hands into a solid ball.
CUT the pie dough ball in half. Make two balls, flatten each ball into a thick round. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate both for no less than 45 minutes.
I”m sorry for not posting pictures of this process but ‘someone’ had a brain fart and forgot to do so as she made this recipe. You can use any pie dough recipe you choose. This one is basic but the gentleness of how it’s mixed is key. I don’t know why, I just know it is. As always do your own thing. I prefer making it with my hands (I wear gloves,) because I can be more gentle than when using my KitchenAid but whatever way floats your boat, do it.
While your dough is resting in the fridge, make your pie filling! The Yummy Part! I don’t measure but will “best guess” it for you. Feel free to add different veggies or more veggies, meat if you want.
Ingredients and DIRECTIONS for making the filling:
In a LARGE SAUCEPAN Place the following ingredients. I like to place the dehydrated foods in first so they get the longest exposure to water to reconstitute.
2 cups (ish)Turkey (Chicken, Beef, Meat Alternative or Meatless - Vegan: Leave out meat.)You can use precooked or uncooked proteins. Cut up into cubes for easier cooking. 2-3 Garden grown (pictured) Carrots, sliced into coins OR 1 cup of dehydrated carrots OR 2 cups of frozen. 1/2 cup chopped Fresh Mushrooms OR 1/2 cup broken dehydrated mushroom pieces 1 cup Fresh Peas OR 1/3 cup of dehydrated peas, Frozen works in place of fresh too! 1-2 Celery Stalks sliced into smiles - 1/4 cup dehydrated celery stalk.
FILL THE SAUCEPAN WITH WATER JUST TO COVER ALL THE INGREDIENTS. (Last photo) Turn the burner to Medium Heat and bring it all to a boil. Once your saucepan is boiling, lower the heat but keep the boil going for 15 minutes. When 15 minutes is up, remove from heat, drain the water out, put the protein and veggies back in the saucepan and set it aside for later.
In the SMALLER SAUCEPAN add:
1/3 cup butter or a couple tablespoons of olive oil or 1/3 cup butter alternatives like Earth Balance and let it melt in the pan. Then ADD to the melting goodness: 1/4-1/3 cup chopped onion Fresh Garlic Cloves minced - We add at least 6 or 8 cloves. Add what you want or use Garlic Powder, that Jar Garlic stuff, just use garlic unless you are allergic then don’t. COOK these three ingredients until the onions are translucent - about 5+ minutes.
Once the Garlic and Onions have done their thing, it’s time to make the rue. Add into the small saucepan mixture: 1/3-ish cup of flour - WHISK IT TOGETHER WITH butter, onions and garlic. Let it cook for a minute or two to meld the flavors. During this short cooking time STIR in: 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon rosemary (optional) 1/2 teaspoon sage (optional) A sprinkle of Thyme (optional) BLEND TOGETHER AND ADD: 2 cups Bone Broth or Veggie Broth 2/3 cup Milk or Milk alternative. I find that Oat Milk reacts like 2% Milk. Do your own thing. COOK ON MEDIUM HEAT until the mixture begins to thicken like gravy. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND ADD TO LARGE SAUCEPAN INGREDIENTS. Gently mix to combine.
Take out the first pie crust and place it in the middle of your baking dish and hand press the dough to the outer edges of said baking dish. Once finished, poke air holes into the dough. (pictured below)
With the bottom dough in place. ADD THE large saucepan filling and spread evenly. Set it aside.
Using parchment paper instead of a floured surface (you don’t want a floured surface!) Take the second flattened ball of dough and hand press your pie dough into a large circle to cover the filling. Place it on top of said filling and cut slits into the top of the dough.
Place your pie on a cookie sheet to capture any overflow. Bake your pie in a preheated oven set to 425 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the inside is nice and bubbly. Might be a few more minute depending on where you live and what kind of oven you are using. Ours is gas. Electric might take 5-10 minutes longer.
Let your delectable pie cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!