Make a pot pie with leftover turkey

FALLBROOK – Pot pie makes for a delicious meal, especially when home cooks go the extra mile and prepare homemade pie crust.

Although some may be intimidated by the idea of making their own pie crusts, the following recipe for "Turkey Vegetable Pot Pie with Whole-Wheat Crust" from Michelle Dudash's "Clean Eating for Busy Families," published by Fair Winds, simplifies the process. And since the recipe calls for turkey, the timing is perfect to use those Thanksgiving Day leftovers.

Turkey Vegetable Pot Pie with Whole-Wheat Crust

Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes, 30 minutes active time

Serves: 6

For the crust:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup corn oil

1/3 cup orange juice

For the filling:

1 carton condensed cream of chicken soup (organic preferred)

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 1/4 pound turkey thinly sliced into bite-size pieces

1 cup thinly sliced carrots (or frozen sliced carrots, thawed)

1 cup leeks, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise, using white and pale green parts only

3/4 cup thinly sliced celery

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence (or 1/2 teaspoon each thyme, rosemary and basil)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

To make the crust: Combine flours and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in oil and orange juice and stir until moistened. Press dough to flatten and chill.

To make the filling: Blend soup and 1/2 cup of milk in a large bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger ball between two large sheets of waxed paper until it is 1/8-inch-thick or until it fits in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan.

Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Turn dough over and carefully place in the pie pan, removing the remaining piece of waxed paper. Press out any bubbles and patch holes with scraps of dough.

Pour filling into the prepared pan. Roll remaining dough and lay it on top. Cut any excess dough hanging from the edges and crimp the crust between your thumb and forefinger to seal. Cut a heart into the center to allow steam to escape.

Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the center of crust becomes golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the pie's center reaches 165 F, covering browned edges only with foil about halfway through cooking.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Note: This article originally ran in Village News, Nov. 22, 2018.