Festive Leftovers
This genius leftovers pies will neatly clear you out of all your turkey and roasted veg by Boxing Day.
Leftovers pie – Serves 6
500g leftover cooked turkey
300g leftover cooked ham
about 300g leftover cooked vegetables
about 300g leftover stuffing
500g puff pastry
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten to glaze
Veloute sauce
125g butter
115g plain flour
600ml hot ham stock (or giblet, chicken or turkey stock)
600ml double cream
2 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
sea salt and black pepper
First make the sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Gradually stir in the hot stock, then bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer for a few minutes, pour in the cream and bring back to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes longer, until you have a smooth sauce. Stir in the mustard, then taste and season as necessary – if you have used ham stock you probably won’t need any salt.
Roughly shred the leftover turkey and dice the ham. Put the meat in a large pie dish with the vegetables and the stuffing, if using, pour over the sauce and mix well so everything is coated in the sauce. Push a pie funnel into the centre of the mixture, if you have one.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gad mark 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Brush the edges of the pie dish with a little bit of the beaten egg. Lift up the pastry on the rolling pin and use to cover the pie. Trim off the excess pastry, leaving a little overhanging the sides, then tuck under to give a neat edge. Press down with your thumb all around the edge to seal.
Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with black pepper. If you haven’t put a pie fennel in the pie, make a couple of small slits in the centre of the pastry with a sharp knife. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is piping hot. If you have any cranberry sauce and gravy left over, you could mix them together, heat thoroughly and serve with the pie.
