Turkey, Leek & Mushroom Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

 

A delicious pot pie made with either leftover turkey or roast chicken topped with a golden crown of flaky, herb-scented puff pastry, is classic comfort food at it's finest. The filling can be prepared in advance with any vegetables you have on hand, but I like to use leeks, potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms which are sautéed in butter until tender. A thick creamy sauce is what brings the whole thing together, so it's important to taste for seasoning as you go along, adjusting the flavour to suit your palate. A cup of wine and a little marsala adds extra depth of flavour, along with a handful of frozen peas and any leftover Thanksgiving dressing that hasn't been gobbled up. Topped with puff pastry rolled with fresh thyme and brushed with a little egg yolk, this warm and comforting Turkey, Leek & Mushroom Pot Pie is a scrumptious finale to Thanksgiving's prized leftovers.

Turkey, Leek & Mushroom Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Serves 6-8

3 tbsp butter, divided

3 carrots, washed and finely chopped 

2 stalks celery, washed and finely chopped 

1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced in 1/4-inch pieces

8 new potatoes, cleaned and quartered with skin on

2 cup frozen peas

5 tbsp fresh thyme, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 cups cooked turkey, shredded into bite-size pieces

8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup white wine

2 tbsp Marsala  

2 1/2 cups whole milk or light cream, divided

1/4 cup flour

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan set on medium heat and sauté the carrots, celery, leek, potatoes and 3 tablespoon of fresh thyme, until the vegetables are just tender, about 8-10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add the turkey, mushrooms and white wine and continue cooking until the liquid cooks off, then transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Return the pan to medium heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, then add 1 cup of milk and sprinkle with the flour; whisk until no lumps remain, then add the remaining milk. Cook for 1 minute to thicken the sauce, then remove from the heat. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, then stir in the peas and pour the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.

Dust a clean surface with some flour and roll out both sheets of puff pastry one at a time, dusting with more flour as needed. They should end up a bit larger than the size of the casserole. Sprinkle one sheet with the remaining chopped thyme, then place the other sheet of the pastry overtop and roll once more to 'sandwich' in the minced herbs. To finish, lay the layered puff pastry over the casserole and then tuck the edges in or roll them over, as you wish. Using a sharp paring knife gently score the top of the pastry to make a decorative cross-hatch pattern, then brush with a beaten egg. Bake uncovered on a parchment lined baking sheet for 60-70 minutes, until the pastry puffs up and is golden brown.