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Turkey and Ham Pie

Turkey and ham pie turns Christmas leftovers into a creamy leek and mushroom filling under puff pastry, the classic British Boxing Day supper.
Recipe Turkey and Ham Pie
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 30 minutes
  • Cooking 40 minutes
  • Servings for 6 people

Turkey and ham pie is the favorite British way to use up the Christmas leftovers: pieces of cooked turkey and ham folded into a creamy sauce with soft leeks and mushrooms, under a lid of golden puff pastry. It belongs to Boxing Day and the days just after Christmas, when the fridge is full and nobody wants to cook for long.

The filling takes about 20 minutes and welcomes whatever is left: a few pieces of stuffing, a spoonful of gravy in the sauce, the last pigs in blankets. Leftover meat needs some care, so how to keep it and reheat it safely is part of the recipe.

Ingredients for 6 people

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Method

  1. Check the leftovers first: use cooked turkey and ham that have been kept covered in the fridge since Christmas Day and are no more than 2 days old. Remove any skin and bones and cut the turkey into bite-size pieces and the ham into cubes.
  2. Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the leeks for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until tender and their liquid has evaporated.
  3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the hot stock a little at a time, stirring until smooth, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the cream, the Dijon mustard and the thyme and let it bubble gently for 1 to 2 minutes more.
  4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the turkey, the ham and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper, spoon the filling into a 1.5 liter (6 cup) pie dish, about 24 cm (9 1/2 inches) across, and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut a strip about 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) wide from one edge, brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg and press the strip onto it. Brush the strip with egg, lay the rest of the pastry over the filling, press the edges together, trim and crimp them. Cut a small hole in the center for the steam and decorate with leaves cut from the trimmings.
  6. Brush the top with egg and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is well risen and deep golden and the filling is bubbling and piping hot in the center; cover the edges loosely with foil if they brown too quickly. Let the pie stand for 5 minutes and serve it with green vegetables or the leftover vegetables from Christmas. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Stir in a few pieces of leftover stuffing, chopped pigs in blankets, cooked chestnuts or a handful of frozen peas with the meat. Chopped tarragon is a classic alternative to thyme. You can use a shortcrust lid instead of puff pastry, roast chicken instead of turkey and cooked bacon instead of ham.

Tips

Leftovers are safe when handled with care: the cooked turkey and ham should have gone into the fridge, covered, within 2 hours of cooking, and should be used within 2 days. Reheat them only once, and make sure the pie is piping hot all the way through, at least 74 °C (165 °F) in the center of the filling. Let the filling cool before the pastry goes on, or the lid will turn soggy underneath. If you have leftover gravy, use a few tablespoons in place of some of the stock.

Storage

The pie is meant to be eaten as soon as it is baked: the meat inside has already been cooked once and then reheated, so do not keep leftover pie to reheat it a second time. If you cannot make the pie within 2 days of Christmas, freeze the cooked meat instead, for up to 2 months, then thaw it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.

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