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There’s a lot to love about the customary day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich: ho-hum turkey dressed with hot, full-bodied gravy; the act of putting bread-based stuffing between two slices of bread; the silly way the sweet potatoes ooze out every time you take a bite; the slick of cranberry sauce that adds zing; that smear of mayonnaise that ties it all together.
But after one, maybe two, of those monstrosities, I start itching for something different. Something that’s not a sandwich. Maybe a soup? Maybe a chili. Maybe something more substantial, like this pot pie stuffed with leftover turkey in a vegetable-filled sauce, thick and rich under a craggy, soft-and-crunchy stuffing topping.
Get the recipe: Turkey Pot Pie With Stuffing Topping
There’s not much to it. Start by sautéing a bit of diced onion, carrot and celery in a skillet. (This is a skillet pot pie, so you’re only going to dirty one pan. Use a 10-inch skillet for the best results.)
Then, make a roux, or a butter and flour paste that will thicken the liquid you’ll add next. The creamy mixture that envelops all of the meat and vegetables is based on this roux, mixed with stock or broth and milk. Season it well.
Stir in pulled or chopped (cooked) turkey meat and leftover (cooked) green beans. Or Brussels sprouts. Or collards. Or peas. Or corn. Watch as the simple sauce enrobes everything, transforming leftovers into something entirely new.
Next, the fun part. Make a topping for your skillet pot pie out of leftover bread-based stuffing. You’ll need about 2 cups, or two big handfuls of stuffing. Loosen the bread mixture by adding some broth or stock. Then, use your hands to form rough balls of the topping and place them atop the still-hot filling. They’ll sink in a little. Spread them out so they’re more rough-and-tumble. That way, as the pie bakes, they’ll get browned and crisp.
Now, bake your pot pie until the filling is bubbling and the topping is crunchy. I like to serve it in bowls next to a green side salad dressed with a vinaigrette made from some of the leftover cranberry sauce. It’s just the thing to cut through the pie’s richness.
For those who want to play around with the recipe, here’s an idea: Instead of making the roux, if you have leftover mashed potatoes — chunky or smooth — stir them into the simmering broth and milk. They will thicken the liquid nicely, no roux needed. Giving all sorts of leftovers new life — that’s something to be thankful for.
Get the recipe: Turkey Pot Pie With Stuffing Topping
The post Turn Thanksgiving leftovers into this stuffing-topped turkey pot pie appeared first on Washington Post.
