Having an easy, tasty pot pie recipe in your back pocket is like knowing your ABC’s – in an attempt to free us all from the shackles of a recipe – meet pot pie 101 – and for the record, you can cast whatever you like in the lead, as long as it’s been seared, sizzled, roasted or toasted – that’s where the flavour is. Like what, you ask? Well, this time around, I’m going with leftover ham, but for the sake of clarity – how about chicken, turkey, pork, beef, fish, shrimp, scallops, clams or a mess of roasted vegetables – ’cause I was thinking that as long as you keep the integrity of the saucey stuff intact, why couldn’t you add whatever the heck you like in place of the typical chicken – well, I said – of course I could, can, will and did!
So, master the saucey stuff – choose your “chicken” of choice and go get yourself a bad-ass reputation for the meanest pot pie on the planet – ’cause since you got out of pot pie prison, you’ve never made the same one twice – now that’s some serious pot pie production. And don’t stop at the pie, what covers the pie can be switched up just the same – mashed potatoes, sliced potatoes, grated potatoes, sweet potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, dumplings, dough, pastry, breadcrumbs, grated cheeses – it’s your pie, cover it with whatever the heck you want. Betcha’ didn’t think you’d be getting your pot pie PhD by night fall!
click here to jump down to the roasted ham & vegetable pot pie recipe
1. Get choppin’ the holy trinity – carrots, onions, & celery – and always garlic – which I guess makes it the fabulous foursome.
2. Load it in a hot, olive-oiled-up oven-proof pot.
3. Get it beggin’ for mercy.
4. Sort out your herbs – oregano, thyme, basil, herbes de provence – whatever you like.
5. Get the frozen mixed veg in a bowl to warm up.
6. I don’t know why I do it – but I decant my can of creamed corn. I know – I just want you to have a good look at it and I hear the recycle truck.
7. The same for the evaporated milk – don’t want to look at that can for another 2 weeks!
8. Measure 1/4 cup of flour – this is going to get whisked into the milk.
9. Whisk away until it’s, well, all whisked away.
10. Now for your boatload of leftover ham.
11. Cube up 2, 3, 4 cups – this is the great thing about a recipe like this – just keep upping the quantities if you’ve got a flock to feed!
12. Get a cup of stock, broth or bouillon ready.
13. Now back to the pot – add the mixed vegetables.
14. Add the herbs.
15. Stir it all around.
16. Add the creamed corn.
17. Halfway to creamy dreamy.
18. Stock’s ready to go.
19. Add it to the pot.
20. Canned milk & flour mixture down.
21. Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken – creamy dreamy magic’s about to happen right before your eyes.
22. Cubed ham is next.
23. Stir gently and thoroughly.
24. Grate a little cheese if you want – and apparently, I want!
25. The cheese brings a little richness – and use whatever cheese you like – swiss or mozzarella are good choices.
26. Grab 2-3 potatoes and a slicer or a sharp knife.
27. And slice ’em up.
28. And whatever you slice them with –slice ’em about this thick.
29. Clean up the edge of your pot with a spatula – niiiiice!
30. Start layering the slices with a slight overlap.
31. Keep layering until you’ve got your pie covered.
32. Drizzle a little olive oil over the potatoes and using a brush, gently spread it all around.
33. Hit the top with a little salt, a good crack of pepper and paprika and put it in your hot oven for 45 minutes or so.
34. Hello roasted ham pot pie – let it rest before digging in.
35. It’s the Brad Pitt of pot pies!
36. Oh Mama – yummy mummy!
roasted ham & vegetable pot pie
yield serves 6-8-10
Preheat oven to 400°F
pot pie filling
1. Heat a large oven-proof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the following for 5-8 minutes:
- 1-2 tbsps. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2-3 ribs celery, diced
- 2-3 carrots diced
2. Stir in:
- 1+ cup frozen mixed peas & carrots
- 2 tsps. dried herb combo: rosemary, thyme, oregano, herbes de provence
3. Cook another minute and then add:
- 1 can cream-style corn
- 1 cup chicken broth
4. Let the mixture simmer while you whisk together the following in a small bowl and add to the pot:
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup flour
5. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in:
- 2-3 cups cooked ham, cubed
- 1+ cup grated cheese – swiss, mozzarella, cheddar
6. Cover & keep warm while you prep the potato topping.
potato topping
- 2-3 potatoes, scrubbed and thinly slice
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
First, clean up the edges of the pot with a spatula. Arrange the potato slices over the ham mixture making a tight circle. Work from the outside in, around the edge of the pan overlapping the potatoes as you go. Drizzle the top with olive oil, spread it around using a pastry brush and season with salt, a good crack of pepper and sprinkling of paprika. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
get creative
- Switch up the filling – chicken, turkey, pork, beef, lamb, fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, clams, roasted vegetables
- Switch up the vegetables – take advantage of seasonal produce – it’s always the most economical
- Switch up the flavours – dried herbs, spices, dry rubs, herb blends, curries, pastes
- Switch up the topping – mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, puff pastry, phyllo dough, biscuit topping, crushed potato chips, bread crumbs, grated cheese or a combination
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black olives seared in lemon, garlic & herbs
zucchini, chocolate, coconut, nut bread
corn on the cob with garlic & lime
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