Turkey and vegetable pie with cheesy potato puree topping

Offering meat to kids can be tricky, most of all when it comes in the form of a beef steak or grilled chicken breast. But if you incorporate meat in something else like an hamburger, a stuffed vegetable, a stew or a casserole, magic happens and kids eat everything without even knowing that meat was involved 😉

For Thanksgiving this year I decided to skip the beautiful roasted Turkey and go for a creamy comforting turkey pie with vegetables and a cheesy potato puree topping.  I already did a test few weeks ago and it was a success!! That’s why I’m sharing it with you 😉

What we really liked about the recipe was:

– the creamy cheesy topping. No way, the potato puree is always a winner 😉

– the nice balance between turkey meat and vegetables in the stuffing.

– the super tasty cream that I used to mix together the turkey meat and the vegetables. That is a recipe must!! It is what gives the pie that nice creamy texture

Here you are what you will need to prepare 12 mini pies (1 mini pie is enough for an adult or grown up kid):

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Turkey and vegetable pie with cheesy potato puree topping

Ingredients

• STUFFING:
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 red onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 carrots
• 3 celery sticks
• 2 lb. ground turkey 1Kg.
• salt
• 2 Tbsp toasted almonds
• TOPPING:
• 1 lb. yellow potatoes 500gr.
• 2 Tbsp butter 50gr.
• 1/3 Cup milk 75ml.
• 4 oz. fontina cheese 100gr.
• 2 pinches salt
• SAUCE:
• 7 Tbsp butter 100gr
• 4 Tbsp flour
• 4 Tbsp Worcester sauce
• 2 Cups vegetable broth 500ml

Instructions

1. let's start from the puree'. Peel the potatoes and chop them in medium size pieces. If you can, more or less of the same size...they will cook evenly.
   
2. fill a big pot with water and let it boil. When it is boiling add 1 tablespoon of salt and add the potatoes. Let them boil and cook for 15 minutes.
   
3. while the potatoes are cooking, prepare the stuffing. Wash, peel and chop the carrots/celery/onions in small pieces
   
4. take a big pan and add few tablespoons of oil of olive. Turn the heat on at medium. Add the chopped veggies and stir. Add the garlic and adjust with a pinch of salt. Stir and let it cook for 8/10 minutes.
   
5. 
6. When the vegetables are cook you can add the ground turkey. Stir very well and let it cook for another 8/10 minutes. Add the chopped almonds, stir and set it apart.
   
7. 
8. 
9. The potatoes are ready. Drain them and place them back immediately in the pot used for boiling them.
   
10. Add butter, milk and salt. Using an immersion blender create a nice and smooth puree.
    
11. 
12. Add the fontina cheese chopped in small cubes. The potatoes should be still hot and their heat will melt the cheese. Set the puree apart and let it cool down.
    
13. 
14. Take a small sauce pan and add the butter. With a whisk at very low heat melt the butter.
    
15. When the butter is melted add the flower and keep whisking creating a nice thick cream.
    
16. Add the worcester sauce and slowly the broth while whisking. Keep whisking for one minute or two and turn the heat off. You will obtain a nice and creamy sauce, not too thick, not too liquid.
    
17. 
18. Add the creamy sauce to the turkey vegetable mix.
    
19. at this point you can choose: you either take 12 small ceramic pots or a big one (oven proof). I love small individual portions so I opted for a small pot. Fill the pot with few tablespoons of Turkey mix (3/4 of the pot) and cover it with the cheesy potato puree. I used a pastry chef bag but you can easily use a tablespoon. It will not be perfect, but it will be easier!!
    
20. 
21. Bake the pies in the oven at 350 F. for 20/25 minutes: a nice cheesy golden crust will be formed!!! Let the pies cool down at least for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy them!!!