Name: Turkey & Ham Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 55 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 3 leeks, halved lengthways, washed and sliced; 50 g unsalted butter; Pinch of dried thyme; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 500 ml chicken or turkey stock; 150 ml double cream; 1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard; 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh soft herbs (tarragon, dill or parsley); About 300–400 g cooked turkey and ham, cut into bite-sized pieces (quantity not specified in source; use a mix to fill the pie); 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, enough to cover a 1.5-litre pie dish; 1 egg, beaten, for glazing; Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

9 steps

Wash and finely slice the leeks. Melt the butter in a large pan over low heat. Add the leeks, thyme and a pinch of salt; cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sliced garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until the leeks are soft and beginning to colour. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the cider vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring constantly, then add the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the mustard, chopped herbs and cooked turkey and ham. Season carefully, remembering that ham can be salty. Leave the filling to cool to room temperature. It can be chilled for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks before baking.
Heat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Spoon the cooled filling into a 1.5-litre pie dish. Dust the work surface lightly with flour and unroll the puff pastry; roll it slightly wider if needed to cover the dish.
Brush the rim of the pie dish with beaten egg. Lay the pastry over the filling, press it onto the rim, trim the excess and crimp the edge to seal. Cut two small steam vents in the centre.
Brush the pastry top with beaten egg. Add pastry decorations if desired, brushing them as well. Set the dish on a baking tray.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is risen and golden and the filling is piping hot throughout. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the final part of baking.
Leave the pie to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Print recipe

Recipe notes

Helpful tips

The linked recipe omits measured amounts for the cooked turkey, ham and pastry; the quantities added here are practical estimates and should be checked against the original written recipe if exact replication matters.
Cool the filling before adding the pastry so the base is less likely to become soggy.
Taste the filling before adding much salt because ham and stock can both be salty.
Use a thermometer or check the centre is piping hot when reheating a chilled or frozen filling.

Equipment

large pan
pie dish
worktop
rolling pin
baking tray

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout. The filling can be frozen before assembly for up to 6 weeks; thaw in the refrigerator before topping with pastry and baking.