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Follow these easy steps to learn how to make the ultimate comfort food - a creamy turkey and veg pie topped with crumbly, golden walnut pastry. Once mastered you can try some delicious flavour twists, just don't forget to note down the ingredients list at the bottom of the page before you go shopping.
Whizz 100g walnuts in a food processor until fine. Add 150g plain flour, 100g cold unsalted butter and a pinch of salt, and whizz again until it resembles dried breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water then pulse until just combined. Tip onto a work surface and knead into a ball. Form into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill while you make the filling.
To make the pie filling, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan set over a medium-high heat. Fry 400g turkey breast (chopped into pieces) for about 5 mins, until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a 26cm x 5cm (10in x 2in) deep pie dish.
Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan, then 150g quartered chestnut mushrooms, 1 finely chopped small onion, 1 finely chopped celery stick, 2 thinly sliced leeks and 1 peeled and finely chopped carrot; season. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 15 mins, stirring regularly. Add 170g fresh peas and 1 finely chopped garlic clove and cook, uncovered, for 3 mins. Transfer all the vegetables to the pie dish.
Melt 30g unsalted butter in a separate pan over a medium heat. Add 30g plain flour; cook for 1 min, stirring. Slowly whisk in 250ml chicken stock, then 250ml semi-skimmed milk. Bring to a boil; simmer for 2 mins until slightly thickened. Add 2 tbsp freshly chopped herbs and 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard; season. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp half fat crème fraîche to create a smooth sauce then pour into the dish, mixing gently.
Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured sheet of nonstick baking paper into a rough circle, about 0.5cm thick. Cut into 15 thin strips then chill the strips in the fridge for 15 mins.
Lay half the pastry strips vertically across the dish, without pressing down. Weave the remaining strips horizontally to make a lattice. Press the pastry to the rim to secure.
Brush with the egg-water mix to glaze then bake for 20-25 mins, until golden. Rest for 5 mins before serving.
Calories 517 (26%), fat 33g (47%), saturates 12g (61%), sugars 7g (8%), salt 1.4g (3%) based on 6 servings.
Hazelnut and pancetta - Use 100g blanched hazelnuts instead of walnuts. After you’ve fried the turkey in step 2, dry fry 100g smoked pancetta cubes until crisp. Remove from the pan, add to the pie dish then fry the vegetables as per step 3.
Cheddar and spinach - For a cheesy pie, add 50g grated mature Cheddar to the sauce when adding the herbs and mustard in step 4. Swap the peas for 100g spinach in step 3.
Christmas leftovers - This pie would also be a great way to use up any leftover turkey at Christmas. Make the recipe as above but omit step 2. After adding the herbs and mustard in step 4, stir in 400g shredded or chopped cooked turkey to the sauce then add to the dish. Assemble the pie and cook as above, checking that the turkey filling is piping hot before serving.
For the best quality pastry, handle it as little as possible. Work quickly and make sure the butter, eggs and water you use are cold. Don’t worry if your pastry tears – wet your fingers and pinch the torn edges together, then gently press the seam to smooth over. Be careful not to stretch the strips of pastry when weaving them across the pie dish, as they may just shrink back.
This type of pastry and the woven effect also works well with sweet pie fillings. Scatter with Demerara sugar for a tasty crunch.
If you don’t have a pie dish, you could make this in a cast-iron skillet or a sturdy, ovenproof frying pan. If your pan isn’t large enough, fry the vegetables in two batches.
You can easily substitute the flour and stock for gluten-free versions.
Pies are a great way to use up your freezer contents. Replace the carrots and peas with 250g frozen veg.
For the pastry 100g walnut pieces 150g plain flour 100g cold unsalted butter, dicedpinch of salt 1 egg yolk
For the filling 2 tbsp olive oil 400g turkey breast, chopped into 2-3cm pieces 150g chestnut mushrooms, quartered 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 2 small leeks, finely sliced 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 170g fresh peas 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 30g unsalted butter 30g plain flour 250ml chicken stock 250ml semi-skimmed milk 2 tbsp freshly chopped herbs (such as parsley, chives or thyme) 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp half fat crème fraîche 1 egg yolk, combined with 1 tbsp water, to glaze
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