Foodie Friday: Savory Pie

It’s fall.  The weather seems to have turned and we can all happily turn our ovens on and bake some savory pies!  Yay!  This recipe is happy with any combo of veggies you might have around.  Mix and match to your heart’s content.  Potato cubes, summer squash, some added garlic, and green beans you might have put in the freezer and some chopped greens would go well in this pot pie.  For more fillings inspiration, you can look back at this pot pie recipe I featured 3 years ago. Drop the poultry and add some tofu cubes to make it vegetarian.  You could top it with biscuits as it’s written, or mashed potatoes for a Shepherd’s Pie or a basic pie crust.  Do put your pie pan on a cookie sheet for baking.  This sort of pie has a way of splattering over the sides that is much easier to clean up if you catch the drips than scrubbing the bottom of your oven (as me how I know!). What a yummy autumn dish!  Next week:  some soups!

Turkey or Chicken or Tofu Pot Pie
adapted from this recipe

4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups turkey or chicken broth (or veggie stock if you’re vegetarian-ing this recipe)
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3-4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper
3 carrots
1 onion
1 cup cubed summer squash
1 stick celery
2 or more cups cooked and cubed cooked Turkey or chicken or tofu
2/3 cup peas
1 recipe baking powder biscuit dough, such as Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits (or mashed potatoes to top, or your favorite pie crust.  I use half of this recipe for this pie and either make a sweet pie for dessert w/the other half, or wrap it well and freeze it for another day).

Directions
1. To make sauce: Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low. Stir in flour until smooth; cook on low, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the warm broth, parsley and basil. Let it simmer slowly, stirring often, about 10 minutes. The mixture will thicken into a sauce. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep sauce
warm.

2. To make vegetable-turkey mixture: Add water to a depth of 2 to 3 inches to a medium saucepan; bring to boil. Meanwhile, dice the carrots, onion and celery. Add them to the boiling water; cook at a strong simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and stir cooked vegetables, turkey and peas into sauce. Simmer 2-3 minutes, then lower heat to lowest flame and keep mixture hot.

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch dish, one that is at least 3 inches deep. Prepare biscuit dough according to recipe directions. Cut biscuits into 10 or 12 three-inch rounds.

4. To bake: Spread hot turkey-vegetable in the baking dish; top with biscuits and bake until sauce is bubbly and biscuits are high and golden, about 20 minutes. Serve hot from the oven.