The Wong Ohana

This is a great recipe for all those leftovers after your Holiday meal!

You can also use this same recipe for CHICKEN POT PIE just by substituting the chicken for the turkey.

This recipe is fantastic and I’ve made it many times! I’m the kind of person who changes my cooking habits with the change of the Seasons.

In the Summer, I tend to cook more BBQ, Sandwiches, Fruit Dishes, Slushies, and Quickie-type stuff that doesn’t require me to use my oven. As the Season changes to Fall and the temperature starts to drop, that’s when I tend to start cooking more “Hot” meals like Soups, Caseroles, Pasta’s, Oven type cooking to warm the heart and the belly, and make the house smell Oh So GOOOOOOD!! There is nothing better than walking into the house and smelling something cooking on the stove, or in the oven.

This recipe is a 2-stage recipe. In other words you need to make not only the filling, but also the crust that will cover and wrap your pie.

So let’s start with the crust. It needs to “set” after mixing before you can use it, so while its chilling, we can be making the pie. Its always good when cooking to think about how long something takes, both to prepare and also to cook so that your finished product will all be ready at the same time. Especially when cooking a larger meal. You don’t want half of it getting cold while you are still preparing something on the side. So be aware of your time factors and start on the “longer prep” time stuff first, or put the water on to boil first, so you can be cooking something else while you are waiting. Also when cooking veggies, the harder veggies, like carrots and potatoes will take longer than something soft like squash, zucchini, or eggplant, so start on those first, then add the “softies” later. Just something to keep in mind to make your dinner easier to prepare, and you’ll find it much nicer when everything is all ready at once, and its all still hot.

So enough of that, lets get started on our Dough:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 TB butter (in pieces/cubes and chilled)
• 4 TB shortening (chilled)

Mix the dry ingredients, Flour and Salt in a bowl (If you sift your flour, it will make a lighter and fluffier crust). Scatter the butter cubes over the dry mix and put it in a blender (if you have one) and set it to “PULSE” mode, and pulse it about 4-5 times until the butter is blended. If you don’t have a blender, then mash the butter in with a fork until thoroughly blended. Now add the shortening and repeat the same procedure.

Put the mixture in a bowl and add 3 TB cold water and start to mix. Keep adding bits of water until the dough sticks together (the quantity will vary depending on your altitude). Shape the dough into a ball and wrap wtih plastic wrap. Place int he refrigerator and chill for min of 30 minutes.

Now, while our dough is chilling its time to make the filling.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pre-cooked Turkey (or Chicken) cut into bite size pieces
• 1 Onion
• 3 Carrots (diced)
• 3/4 Cup Frozen Peas
• 4 TB Butter
• 1 1/2 TB Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1 Can Broth (or cubed bullion in 1 1/2 cup water)
• 1 1/2 Cup Milk
• Garlic Salt (or diced fresh garlic)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 egg white - whisked

(OPTIONAL: 2 stalks celery - diced)

Pour the Olive Oil in the bottom of a non-stick pan and heat the pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and let the oil heat while you’re chopping up your veggies. Cut up in very small pieces the onion and carrots (and celery if you like it - I don’t, but I add it here in case you do). Add the carrots first, and saute quickly until they start to soften, then add the onions and celery. Continue to saute until all veggies are cooked. Take them off he heat and set the aside in a small bowl.

Next add the butter to the pan (no need to wash the pan in between, the flavors from the veggies and garlic will be great added to your melting butter. Add the flour and whisk in the broth, and milk. Continue to stir until all the flour is absorbed and then simmer for a couple of minutes until the flour starts to thicken to a nice consistency. Then add the Turkey, the veggies you set aside, the frozen peas and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Once this mixture is done, turn off the fire, and set it aside.

Now its time to get back to our dough. Remove it from the refrigerator and cut it in half. Roll out one ball into a nice large circle big enough to cover the bottom and up the sides of your pan. I like to use Corning Ware, but any kind of pie tin, or bread pan will work. As long as its oven safe, you can use it.

Gently push the crust into the pan making sure to get it into the bottom where it meets the sides. Now very lightly sprinkle some flour into the pan and gently cover the dough with a very thin layer of flour. Next pour in your Turkey (or chicken) mixture.

Take the other half of the dough and roll it out in a circle big enough to cover the top of your pan. Gently place this over your Pot Pie, and crimp your edges. Don’t forget to use a fork and put some “vent holes” in the top of the crust so the steam can escape while cooking. You can make a nice pattern with your fork if you like, or just poke some holes, its up to you how fancy, or decorative you want your crust to be.

Now take the egg white and whisk it in a small cup. With a pastry brush, lightly brush onto the top of the crust. This will give it a nice shiny look and will cook to a nice golden brown.

Put your Pie in the oven at a med high heat (400) for approx. 20-30 minutes. The time and temperature will vary depending on your location and elevation, but this should get you close. Just keep an eye on it, and cook until the crust is a golden brown.

Remember that your Pie filling is already cooked, so this is just to cook your crust. When the crust is done (and make sure its done because you want the bottom crust to also cook and not be smush under your filling, so don’t take it out too soon), remove it from the oven and allow it to cool a bit before serving.

Of course, you can scale this up or down depending on how many you want to feed. I also have used this same recipe to make small individual pies which is a lot of fun to serve to guests or family. Kids also love this quick easy recipe and its a great way to use up those leftovers in the refrigerator!!