Turkey Dinner Pies

Turkey dinner pies are a savoury, hearty meal that repurposes the core components of a traditional turkey feast into a single, convenient pie. They are a popular way to use holiday leftovers and are beloved for their comfort-food appeal. These Turkey Dinner Pies offer a delicious and efficient way to transform holiday leftovers into a new, comforting meals.

Key Components:

• The primary elements of a turkey dinner pie typically include:
• Turkey: Cooked, cubed, or shredded turkey meat (white and/or dark).
• Gravy/Sauce: A rich, often creamy, gravy or sauce made with drippings, broth, butter and flour, seasoned with herbs like sage and thyme, which binds the filling together.
• Vegetables: Common choices include peas, carrots, celery, onions and potatoes (sometimes as part of the filling, other times as a topping).
• Other Leftovers (Optional): Many variations incorporate stuffing (dressing) or cranberry sauce as layers within the pie for added flavour and texture.
• Crust: This varies widely and can be a traditional double pastry crust (store-bought or homemade), a top crust only (often puff pastry, biscuits, or a layer of mashed potatoes), or individual mini pies in muffin tins.

Popular Variations:

• Turkey Pot Pie: This is the most common variation, featuring turkey and a creamy vegetable mixture in a traditional pie crust (top and bottom or just top).
• Shepherd's Pie Style: Instead of a pastry crust, this version uses a topping of creamy mashed potatoes, often dotted with butter, to cover the turkey and gravy mixture.
• Layered Feast Pie: This approach involves distinct layers of all the main leftovers: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, baked together in one pan.
• Mini/Individual Pies: The ingredients are portioned into small ramekins or a muffin tin, making for easy, single-serving meals that can be frozen and baked later.

Preparation:

• Turkey dinner pies are a convenient "encore" meal, primarily made using pre-cooked ingredients. The process usually involves:
• Preparing the filling: Combining the cooked turkey, vegetables and a thickened gravy or sauce.
• Assembling the pie: Placing the filling into a pie dish lined with pastry or preparing for a top crust.
• Baking: The pie is baked until the crust is golden brown and the filling is heated through and bubbling.