Leftover Turkey and Sweet Leek Pie Recipe
Home » COOK » Recipes » Pot Pie Recipes »This recipe for Leftover Turkey and Sweet Leek Pie is the perfect way to use up those turkey leftovers and make an amazing new dish.
The festivities may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to all the delicious food!
The combination of savory turkey and sweet leeks is sure to please everyone, and the flaky pie crust is the perfect finishing touch.
So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try today!
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Leftover Turkey & Sweet Leek Pie
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Until I discovered this recipe for Leftover Turkey & Sweet Leek Pie by Jamie Oliver, I always just used to use leftover turkey to make sandwiches the next day.
However, I saw him make this pie on one of his Christmas specials a few years ago, and I thought it looked d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s! We gave it a try and it was amazing!
We now look forward to eating this turkey pie more than eating our turkey dinner!
Oh, and if you don’t want to wait until you cook a turkey to make this, I have made it with roast chicken before, and it was just as tasty!
The recipe on Jamie’s website gives quantities for 6 – 8 people, I make ours feed 4 by halving the ingredients.
My husband and I ate it between us over two nights, so it keeps well and can be reheated and tastes just as good!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen.
The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredients Needed for Leftover Turkey Pie
- Fresh Produce – Leeks, Thyme, Sage
- Protein – Smoked Streaky Bacon, Cooked Turkey Meat (you can use white and/or dark meat)
- Dairy – Butter, Crème Fraîche*
- Other Fresh Ingredients – Eggs
- Plain Flour – also known as All-Purpose Flour
- Chicken Stock – or turkey stock if you have any leftovers, I use some from my Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe,
- Puff Pastry – this is available to buy ready-made, and there is absolutely no need to make it from scratch! As the name suggests, it puffs up during cooking, thanks to the layers of butter that have been folded and rolled into the dough when being prepared. In this recipe, chopped sage and chestnuts are rolled into the prepared dough to give even more wonderful texture and flavor.
- Roasted Chestnuts – a popular Christmas ingredient in the UK. If you can find them raw, you can roast and peel them yourself, but buying a jar or package of cooked sweet chestnuts is just fine, and is totally what I do!
Equipment Needed For This Recipe
This is a British recipe, and as such the ingredients are listed by weight in metric, but have also provided the imperial measurements. You will need kitchen food scales to weigh the ingredients.
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Large Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon – to stir the filling in the pan, or whatever you usually stir with. I generally use a wooden spoon or a Rubber/Silicon Spatula
- Measuring Jug/Cup
- Fine Mesh Sieve – this is to strain the gravy from the filling (don’t worry, the gravy is saved to pour over the pie when cooked!
- Rolling Pin – while the puff pastry might come ready-rolled, this recipe rolls chopped chestnuts and sage into the pastry.
- Pastry Brush – this is to brush the egg wash over the pastry to give it a nice finish. If you don’t have one, in a pinch just use your fingers.
- Casserole Dish – the one I have is about 9 x 13″, but if you have one slightly bigger, slightly smaller, a round or oval dish, or even if you have to split the mixture over two smaller dishes, it will be just fine!
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
What Is Crème Fraîche?
A thick, slightly sour dairy cream, that is often used in the UK and Europe, but not as common in the US. It is a classic French ingredient (the literal translation is ‘fresh cream’). The cream is soured with a bacterial culture. It is less sour than sour cream and has a higher fat content. Sour cream can be used as a substitute in this recipe.
How to Make Leftover Turkey & Sweet Leek Pie
The printable recipe card has the full ingredients list and instructions and can be found at the end of this post.
TIP: Before starting to prepare the ingredients for the turkey and leek pie, remove your puff pastry from the fridge so that it comes to room temperature.
Step 1: Put the bacon and thyme into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil and a knob of butter and let it fry off for a few minutes.
Step 2: Add the leeks and let them cook for a few minutes until well coated with the butter. Add seasoning to taste, then turn the heat down and cover for 30-minutes (stirring occasionally). No need to add extra liquid as there is enough moisture in the leeks.
This may seem like a long cooking time, but honestly, it is so worth it! The sweetness that comes from the leeks really makes this dish!
Step 3: Meanwhile, shred up your leftover turkey – do this with your hands or chop up the meat with a knife. You can use white and/or dark turkey meat in this recipe, depending on your leftovers and preference. I’ve been known to throw in leftover sausages and stuffing before too!
At this point, you’ll probably want to preheat your oven (temps on the recipe card).
Step 4: Now add the shredded turkey to the pan of now softened leeks and stir well to get everything nicely distributed.
Step 5: This part is important as it will help to thicken the gravy – add the flour and stir to mix well. Then pour in the stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil to heat the stock through.
Step 6: Stir in the crème fraîche (or sour cream), check the seasoning and adjust as desired, then remove from the heat.
TIP: Do not skip this next step! You may worry and think your turkey pot pie will end up dry – trust me, it won’t. The sweet leeks provide plenty of moisture, and the liquid will be the gorgeous gravy to pour over the pie when ready to eat.
Step 7: Place a fine mesh strainer over another saucepan (or bowl) and pour the leek and turkey filling into it (you may have to do this in a few stages) to catch the liquid. Reserve for later.
Step 8: Spoon the turkey pie filling into a casserole or pie dish and set it to one side whilst you prepare the puff pastry topping.
Step 9: Dust your work surface and rolling pin with some flour and remove the puff pastry from its packaging. Crumble cooked chestnuts and torn sage leaves over the one-half side of the pastry, then fold the other half over on top of it. Roll the two halves together until you make your pastry big enough to cover your pie.
Step 10: Lay the pastry over the top of the casserole dish and tuck the edges around the inside of the dish and around the filling – like tucking it into bed! Cut some slits across the top of the pastry, then beat up the egg in a cup with a fork and use a pastry brush to wash it over the pastry. This will help it go nice and golden when cooking.
Step 11: Now pop the pie in the oven for around 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Have a clean-up of your work area, and towards the end of cooking time, gently heat up the reserved gravy from earlier. You can do this in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Step 12: Divide pie into portions and serve on warmed plates with the gravy poured over the top.
This pie is so filling that it doesn’t need mashed potatoes, but we do always serve it with peas (which we put on to cook while the pie is in the oven). You can of course serve it how you like!
This leftover turkey and sweet leek pie is probably one of the best (and our favorite) ways to use up leftover turkey meat. Hat’s off to Jamie Oliver for inventing this pie, it is truly delicious!
I have also made it with leftover chicken which means you can enjoy it all year round since most of us are more likely to cook a chicken for Sunday lunch than a whole turkey!
I made my own variation of the pie which you’ll find in this recipe for Leftover Turkey, Chestnut & Cranberry Pie.
It has got dried and fresh cranberries added, as well as leftover bacon-wrapped sausages from Christmas dinner.
Chopped chestnuts are added to the filling, and I switched the herbs to rosemary. It is topped with filo (phyllo) pastry instead of puff pastry.
It is just as tasty as the original turkey pie recipe here!
More Recipes Using Leftovers
Using up leftovers is not only thrifty but also gives you a chance to reinvent the original meal! Here are a few recipes to try:
- Spicy White Bean & Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
- Leftover Roast Chicken Crustless Mini Quiches
- Leftover Turkey Curry – from Wendy at Daisies & Pie
Recipe for Leftover Turkey and Sweet Leek Pie
Leftover Turkey and Sweet Leek Pie
A great recipe to use up leftover turkey! You will not be disappointed with this pie - it tastes amazing!
Ingredients
- 1 rasher smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- Small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- Olive oil
- Knob of butter
- 1kg (2.2lbs) leeks, washed – white part cut into chunks, the green parts finely sliced
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 400g (14-oz) cooked turkey meat – white (and brown if you like)
- 1 heaped tablespoon flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 pint chicken or turkey stock*
- 1 Tbsp crème fraîche
- 250g (8-oz) pack puff pastry
- 6 roasted and cooked chestnuts (from a jar/vac-pack)
- Sprig of fresh sage
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Put the bacon and thyme into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add a glug of oil and a knob of butter and let it fry off for a few minutes.
- Add the leeks and let them cook for a few minutes until well coated with the butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then turn the heat down. Pop a lid on top of the pan and allow to cook down for half an hour, stirring every 5 – 10 minutes to make sure that it doesn’t burn.
- Meanwhile, shred up your leftover turkey and preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
- Add the turkey to the pan of now softened leeks and mix together.
- Add the flour until well mixed in, then pour in the stock and stir. Bring to a boil to heat the stock through.
- Stir in the crème fraîche. Check the seasoning and add more to taste if needed, then take off the heat.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve and catch the sauce in another pan – this will be the gravy for pouring onto the pie later.
- Spoon the turkey and leeks into a pie dish and set to one side whilst you prepare the pastry topping.
- Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the pastry. I buy ready-rolled puff pastry so I just unfurl it from its wrapper. Crumble the chestnuts over one half and tear up the sage leaves and scatter them on top too. Fold the other half of the pastry over and roll the two halves together until you make your pastry big enough to cover your pie.
- Lay the pastry over the top of the dish and tuck the edges around the inside of the dish and around the filling. Cut some slits across the top of the pastry, then beat up the egg and using a pastry brush wash it over the pastry which will help it go nice and golden when cooking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
- About 5-10 minutes from the end of cooking time heat up the gravy (that you saved earlier) in a pan over low heat.
- Serve with the gravy and peas (or veg of choice). The pie is so filling, it doesn’t need potatoes! Enjoy!
Notes
*One British pint is 20 fluid ounces or just under 570ml. In the USA a British pint is the equivalent of 1.2 US pints or 2.4 American cups.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 444Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 488mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 31g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.