I love a good Pot Pie. And no, I’m not talking about drugs. A turkey pot pie! Get your minds out of the gutter people. I think it is fair to say that most things are probably better served in a pie crust. Or some kind of pastry pocket. Hence the category of foods to your right entitled, “pocket foods”. I may be a little obsessed. And a pot pie is basically a giant pocket food! Awesome! Man that looks good. I might have to go make another right now.

I fell in love with pot pies a few years ago. They are easy to make and a great way to use up some random vegetables and leftover meats you might have in your fridge. I actually made this one after Thanksgiving with some leftover turkey. But, you can just as easily use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, some leftover pork loin in your fridge, or whatever else is easy and tickles your fancy.

So what is a pot pie exactly?

Basically, it is a mixture of cooked vegetables and meat in a creamy gravy, baked in a pie crust. For that matter, you don’t need meat even. Vegetable pot pies are delicious as well. Consider adding peas or broccoli inside for a hearty vegetable filling.

Am I giving you too many options? I think that is the point. This is a basic turkey pot pie recipe, but the options are endless. Cook some vegetables and meat, (or no meat) until cooked through- the vegetables will continue to cook in the pie crust in the oven, but not significantly and I don’t want crunchy carrots in my pie. Then you make a quick pan gravy to make it all creamy and delicious, and stick it in a pie crust and bake! You could even add cheese. I know! I just blew your mind.

And to be perfectly honest, I just use a frozen pie crust, or one of those roll out ones from Pillsbury that are always in the fridge section by the biscuits. A pot pie doesn’t need to have a million steps and be complicated to be delicious!

I think I may sound a little crazy in this post.

I can live with that. I’m crazy about pot pie.

Turkey Pot Pie

• 2 cups cooked turkey, diced
• 3/4 cup carrot, medium chop
• 3/4 cup celery, medium chop
• 1/2 onion, small dice
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 TB flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 TB butter
• 2 pie crusts
• 1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. Put one of the pie crusts in a pie pan. Save the other to form the top. If your pie crust is frozen, leave on the counter, or on the top of your warm stove to defrost.

In a large skillet, saute carrot, celery, onion, and olive oil until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Add turkey, sage and parsley. When mixture is fragrant, push the filling to the sides of the pan. Add the butter to the center of the pan. As it melts, add the flour. Stir to combine. Slowly add milk to the flour and butter center of the pan, stirring constantly and quickly to combine. Try to keep it from preventing lumps. When flour is incorporated into liquid, mix everything together. Let simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens, then remove from heat.

Fill pie crust with mixture. Top with a second pie crust and seal the edges. Whisk egg in a small bowl with a splash of water. Brush egg mixture on top of the pie. Cut slits in the top of the pie crust for steam to escape. Put a lined baking sheet on the rack below the rack you are baking the pie on, in case of bubbling. It is easier to clean a baking sheet than the bottom of your oven.

Bake at 400 for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Photographs by Jessica Yager.