Italian Turkey Pot Pie with Parmesan Crust

Possible Cooking Methods:   Stovetop and Oven

This recipe includes a few twists on a traditional pot pie. Turkey takes the main stage instead of chicken, the Italian spices and cheeses give it a boost of flavor, but it’s the Parmesan crust that makes it special and delicious. While you could make the filling for the pot pie in a pressure cooker, you really won’t save much time because you’ll still need to transfer the filling to a baking dish and bake the top crust in the oven. So, there are no recommended alternative methods of cooking for this classic meal.

Cheese crust:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

¾ cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

2 to 2½ tablespoons water

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1½ pounds turkey breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced into half moons

1 large Yukon Gold potato, diced ¼-inch (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon dried oregano

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups milk

pinch of nutmeg

1 cup grated Fontina cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 egg, beaten

Stovetop and Oven Directions

Serves:6

Cooking Time:55 minutes

1.  Combine the flour, butter and cheese in a food processor. Pulse the mixture into coarse crumbles and then slowly add the water through the feed tube, processing just until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from the food processor and shape it into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight.

2.  Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Removed the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.

3.  Pre-heat a 12-inch double-handled skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and brown the turkey chunks on all sides. Do this in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, setting the browned turkey aside in a bowl. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until it starts to brown – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, potato, Italian seasoning and oregano and toss together. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes, until the vegetables just start to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the browned turkey.

4.  Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil so that the sauce thickens and then turn off the heat. Add the nutmeg, Fontina and Parmesan cheeses and stir until all the cheese has melted. Add the fresh basil and return the turkey and vegetables to the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices behind.

5.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a14-inch circle – one big enough to cover your skillet with a little extra. Transfer the dough to the top of the skillet and turn the extra inch around the edge underneath the dough, to make a crust. If you would like a decorative crust, press the back of a fork around the edge to make a pretty pattern and use extra dough to make decorations on top. Cut a small hole in the center of the dough to vent the pie and brush the entire surface with the beaten egg.

6.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving with a mixed green salad.