Showstopper turkey pie
Roasted Christmas turkey, leeks, mushrooms, bacon and a creamy sherry-enriched sauce make this a stunning pie to enjoy and be proud of. It’s the perfect centrepiece for a lunch or party over Christmas and is bound to be loved by everyone. Recipe from Miranda Gore Browne. Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 leeks, washed and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
- 2 tbsp of water
- 150g streaky smoked bacon, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 2 tbsp of flour
- 300g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 400g roast turkey, cooked and shredded
- 1 tbsp of sherry
- 300ml of hot chicken stock (or use some leftover gravy and boiling water)
- 200ml of double cream
Homemade pastry
- 250g plain flour
- 150g butter, cold
- 2 eggs
- (Or use 1 packet of puff or shortcrust pastry)
- 1 egg, beaten to brush on top of the pastry
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- For the pastry, put the flour into a large mixing bowl and coarsely grate in the cold butter. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Beat the eggs in a cup and then add to the mixture a little at a time (you may not need it all). Stir with a knife until you have a soft dough. Make the dough into flat disc and wrap tightly in clingfilm. Pop into the fridge to chill and rest for a couple of hours.
- For the filling, fry the bacon until almost crispy and put to one side. Put the leeks into the same frying pan with the oil and cook until softened. Put the leeks to one side. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until pale golden.
- Put the bacon, leeks, mushrooms and turkey back into the pan with the butter and sprinkle over the flour. Stir and cook a little. Add the sherry and the stock and stir well to cover all the ingredients. Add the double cream and stir again. Bubble for a few more minutes.
- When your pie filling is cooked and ready, leave it to cool a little and then roll out your pastry to make a lid as big as your pie dish. I used an oblong enamel pie tin (25 x 32cm) but use whatever you have to hand. Make a few pastry decorations with the off-cuts of pastry.
- Spoon the filling into the pie dish. Wet the top of your finger with some cold water, this helps the pastry to stick to the dish. Gently lift the pastry on top and press onto the edges of the pie dish with your fingers or a fork.
- Brush the top of the pie with the leftover beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden.
