Gobble, Gobble...Pie?!?!?

Turkey Pie

2 C Cooked Rice

10 oz Fresh Spinach

1 Tbs Butter

6-8 oz Cooked Turkey, Shredded

1 Can Quartered Artichoke Hearts, Drained

2 Tbs Butter

2 Tbs All Purpose Flour

2 C Milk

6 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, Shredded

1 tsp Yellow Mustard

3-6 Tbs Curry Powder (to taste)

Combine the rice, spinach, and 1 Tbs butter while rice is still hot. If you are having trouble getting the spinach to wilt, put the lid back on the pot for a bit. Alternatively, you can use rice that has cooled and saute the spinach in the butter just until wilted, then combine with the rice. Firmly press the rice mixture into the bottom of a 10” round pan. (I use a cast iron skillet and it’s a perfect fit!)

Spread the turkey in an even layer over the rice, then layer the artichoke hearts on top of the turkey. Set the pan aside.

At this point, preheat oven to 350.

In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 Tbs butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook until it begins to bubble. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add mustard and curry powder. At this point, you can decide how much curry flavor you want. Taste the sauce and add extra curry powder and salt if needed. Once the curry and mustard are well combined, stir in the shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and well combined.

Pour the sauce over the top of the rice, turkey, and artichokes and gently spread to the edges of the pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top is browned and edges are bubbly. Remove from the oven, and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into 4 equal pieces to serve. A spatula works well to transfer to a plate.

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With Thanksgiving barely over a week away, chances are you may end up with leftover turkey in your household! I decided to keep with the pie theme, and share one of Mr. Sutton’s top ten favorite meals with you. This recipe is a great way to make good use of leftover turkey. I know sandwiches and soup are great, but sometimes a person can only handle so many leftover turkey sandwiches!

Allow me to introduce the deliciousness that is Turkey Pie!

I honestly can’t remember where I found this recipe. It has morphed over the years, and I’ve altered it from the original to make it a little easier to make. The original recipe called for mushrooms to be layered in, but I found that they got lost in this dish and didn’t really add much. I am also a huge fan of curry, so I significantly upped the amount of curry added to the sauce! The grated cheese was originally layered in, and I found it much easier to just put it in the sauce instead.

I have to tell you a secret. We rarely have turkey for Thanksgiving at our house. I usually make a chicken pumpkin curry and fresh naan for our Thanksgiving meal that is delicious. We buy and roast a turkey specifically so we have cooked turkey to make this dish! Now, in a pinch, you can use chicken. You honestly can’t tell a difference! The turkey thing started because turkeys are SO inexpensive this time of year!

While the combination of ingredients may sound strange, it is a very, very comforting meal. I get it - I was skeptical at first, too! I was very pleasantly surprised when I took the first bite! I encourage you to give it a try! The ingredients aren’t anything so crazy that you can’t keep them on hand. You can pick up a giant canister of curry powder from your local Mediterranean market for under $5, and it’s a much better flavor balance than what you’ll find in the grocery store. ALSO! A work-saving step! If you cook your rice specifically to make this dish, use the same pan to make your sauce so you don’t have a zillion pans to wash! Wipe the rice remnants out and go to town. This takes you down to a pan, a cast iron skillet, 2 measuring devices, and a whisk. I’d say that’s pretty easy cleanup!

I hope that you enjoy this savory spin on pie as much as we do at my house! When the first chill hits the air, I immediately get a request. “How about adding turkey pie to the menu this week, honey?” Which I always happily oblige because it is so, so good!