Turkey Pot Pie with a Crispy Parmesan Crust

Who doesn't love pot pie on a cold night? This one is thick and rich and chock full of vegetables as well as lean turkey. I used phyllo dough instead of a short crust because I wanted a crispy, flaky crust that would let the filling to be the star of the show. Having that hint of parmesan in the crust really steps up the flavor. Please make this-otherwise, you will never know the sheet soul satisfaction of cracking through the crispy crust and digging into that beautiful thick filling.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings):

2 Tablespoon canola oil

½ cup celery, diced

½ cup parsnips, peeled and diced

½ cup carrots, diced

½ cup onion, diced

1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup flour

2 ½ cups turkey or chicken stock (homemade is best, but use what you have)

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or powdered turkey gravy mix

2 cups turkey, cooked and shredded

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup frozen green beans, thawed

¼ cup half and half (I used fat free and it worked just fine—you just want it for some richness and body)

Salt and pepper to taste

6 sheets phyllo dough

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Spray a 2 ½ quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add in the celery, parsnips, carrots, onion and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion mixture is soft, but not brown.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir until the oil and flour become a paste. Cook for 2 minutes more to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Add in the poultry seasoning/turkey gravy powder. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes more or until the mixture is thickened. Add in the turkey, peas and green beans as well as the half and half and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and taste, adding salt and pepper to your liking. Pour into the prepared casserole and let cool for a few minutes.

Lay one sheet of phyllo on top of the casserole and spray with cooking spray. Repeat with two more sheets of phyllo. Sprinkle ½ of the Parmesan over the casserole and then top with the remaining sheets of phyllo (again, sprayed between each sheet). Sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top and tuck the edges of the phyllo loosely into the sides of the casserole. Cut a few vents in the phyllo with a sharp knife to let steam escape.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up through the vents you cut into the crust. (Hint: Place a sheet of foil over the top if the phyllo and parmesan topping appear to be getting brown too fast).

Let cool for 10 minutes.