If you are looking for a delicious and imaginative way to use up your turkey and some of the accompaniments, like leeks and stuffing then try this Boxing Day pie recipe from our Hillier Development Chef. You may find yourself looking forward to your Boxing Day lunch as much as the Christmas Day feast!

Serves: 6

Time: 55 minutes


Ingredients

  • 50g butter or margarine
  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
  • 500g leeks washed and sliced
  • 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
  • 250ml of turkey gravy
  • 250ml chicken or vegetable stock (or 500ml if no turkey gravy available)
  • 200ml double cream or a mix of cream and milk
  • 600g cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 300g cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional – some left-over cooked stuffing and sausages or pigs in blankets, roughly chopped
  • 500g puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

Method

1. Melt the butter or margarine in a large pan, add the thyme leaves and leeks, and cook gently for about 15 minutes until the leeks have softened. Increase the heat to reduce the liquid to a couple of spoonfuls.

2. Sprinkle on the flour and mix into the leeks. Gradually pour on the stock and gravy, continuously stirring until the mixture is thickened.

3. Pour in the cream, bring to a simmer and then add in the turkey and ham. Stir in the pieces of stuffing and sausages if using. Taste and season accordingly.

4. Pour into a 22 x 30cm pie dish and allow the filling to cool.

5. Set oven to 200c /180c fan.

6. Roll out the pastry to fit the dish and lay the pastry on top of the cold filling.

7. Using the back of a knife, score a pattern on the pastry and brush all over with the beaten egg.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes – the pastry should be risen and golden brown.


Chef’s Tip

If you don’t have any ham, just use turkey. Some roughly chopped chestnuts, if available, can be sprinkled over the filling before topping with the pastry.


>> Download our Christmas Pie Recipe