Deep Dish Comfort - Turkey-Apple Pot Pie

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 09 March 2010

Serves 6

Filling
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored
1 yam, peeled and sliced thinly
1 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 lbs ground turkey
2 tsp dried sage, crumbled
1-1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cups dry sherry
3 Tbsp cornstarch
Salt
Pepper

Cream Cheese Pastry
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
3 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 large egg yolk
1 beaten egg (for brushing the top of the pastry)

Filling

1. Melt butter in a large pan set over high heat. Crumble turkey into the pan; stir often until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
2. Add onions, apples, yam, sage and caraway seeds; cover and cook over medium eat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Uncover, turn heat to high, and stir often until liquid has evaporated and onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix broth, sherry and cornstarch. Add to turkey mixture and stir until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes. Spoon mixture into a shallow, round 2 litre casserole or pie pan.
4. On a lightly floured board, roll cream cheese pastry into a round about 2 inches wider than the diameter of the casserole or pie pan. Centre pastry over the filling; trim the edges to overhang the rim by about 1 inch. Fold overhang under the pastry flush with the rim. Flute pastry firmly against the casserole or pan rim and slash the top decoratively.
5. Set the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the top with the beaten egg.
6. Bake in a 375F oven until pastry is golden and filling is bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. If crust rim darkens too much before the centre browns, fold foil over the edges.

Cream Cheese Pastry

Combine flour, butter and cream cheese in a food processor. Blend until coarse crumbs form. Add egg yolk; stir with a fork until dough holds together. Pat into a flat disk about 8 inches wide.

Serve hot with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc.