Easy Leftover Turkey Pie Recipe

by AdobeStock/sarymsakov.com

6 to 8 servings SERVINGS

Directions

• Sprinkle the turkey breast with salt and pepper and place it on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove the turkey breast from the oven and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and bones and cut the breast meat into bite-size pieces. Measure about 3 cups for the recipe. While the turkey bakes, prepare the pie crust.
Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups of flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, blend in the butter and shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork, until the dough can be formed into a ball. Divide the ball in half and press each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.To prepare the broccoli, cut off the stalks of each broccoli top just below where the florets begin. Break or cut the florets into tiny, bite-size pieces. Measure 3 to 4 cups. Drop the florets into a pot of boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender- crisp. Drain the florets and drop into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Drain well.Cheddar Cheese Sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup of flour and the salt and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in the milk and chicken broth and stir until thickened. Cook the sauce for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted.
• Fold the cooked turkey and broccoli into the cheese sauce and season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• To make the pie shell, roll out half the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness about 1/8 inch. Fold the dough loosely in half and place it in a 9-1/2-inch pie plate. Unfold the dough and press it gently into the plate.
• Pour the turkey and broccoli filling into the pie shell. For the top crust, roll out the remaining dough to a thickness of about 1/8-inch. Dampen the edges of the bottom pie crust with a little cold water. Fold the dough in half and place over the filling.
• Unfold and trim off the excess dough. Crimp the edges of the two crusts together. Prick the top with a knife or fork to allow the steam to escape.
• Place the turkey pie in a 435-degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 35 minutes more, until the crust is lightly browned.
• Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
• Variation: Cooked chicken breasts may be substituted for the turkey.

Keep holiday leftovers interesting with this broccoli, cheddar, and leftover turkey pie recipe. Easy and hearty, it’s a great autumn dish.

If you’re between holidays but craving the taste of turkey, here’s a new twist on an old favorite. Turkey pie is often made with leftovers, but a small split turkey breast cooks easily with much less fuss. The twist: a broccoli and cheddar cheese sauce. It may just become the new family favorite.

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Reprinted with permission from The New Kansas Cookbook by Frank and Jayni Carey and published by the University Press of Kansas, 2016.

The New Kansas Cookbook (University Press of Kansas, 2016) by Frank and Jayni Carey compiles recipes built from the agriculture local to Kansas. The cookbook includes recipes from top local restaurants as well as original recipes submitted by Kansans. The Careys have been cooking together since they met and have published two cookbooks together. The following excerpt is for turkey pie with broccoli and cheddar cheese.

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