Ham Pot Pie

turkeypotpie3 Ham Pot Pie is a cozy and comforting way to use up your leftover ham from the holidays. The ham and veggies are cooked in a creamy sauce and baked in a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust.

Crust:
2½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup butter, cold, cubed (16 Tbsp.)
½ cup buttermilk, cold

Filling:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 small white onion, chopped (~ 1 cup)
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 cups ham, chopped into small cubes/pieces
1¼ cup whole milk
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas, do not thaw
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ cup fresh herbs, chopped, such as sage, thyme, rosemary and/or parsley
1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash

Prepare the Crust:
Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until no large chunks of butter remain.

Slowly stream in the cold buttermilk until the dough comes together. At first, it may look dry and crumbly but continue running the food processor, it will be enough to bind the dough and it will come together!

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead/form dough until it comes together. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Form into a semi-flat thick oval shape, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

In a large Dutch oven or large deep pan, melt the butter. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic.

Sauté over medium heat until fragrant and soft, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add flour and stir to coat all of the vegetables.

Add diced ham and stir to combine.

Add broth and milk and bring to a boil, then down to a simmer and cook until a thick creamy consistency, about 5-7 minutes.

Add peas, apple cider vinegar and fresh herbs. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or herbs as desired. Remove from heat & allow to cool while you prepare the crust.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Roll out one of the disks of dough. Roll into a large circle (about 12") on a lightly floured surface and carefully transfer to a 9” pie dish.

Optional step by partially blind bake the bottom crust: Freeze the dough for 15-30 minutes to keep the dough nice and chilled, this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage. Line dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights to help keep the edges from sagging as crust bakes. Bake the pie crust for ~15-20 minutes just until edges are set and lightly brown.

If not partially blind baking the crust: Spoon the cooled filling onto the crust. Roll the second disk of pie dough out on a floured surface and carefully place over the pie filling. Fold the excess dough behind the bottom crust then crimp the 2 pie crusts together to seal.

Use a small knife to make a couple small slits in the center of the top crust (to allow steam to escape while it bakes).

Use a pastry brush to brush the crust and edges with a beaten egg.

Bake for at least 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Use foil on the edges or a pie crust shield to protect edges from browning too much, if necessary.

Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cook's Notes:

Storage: cool completely and freeze for up to 1 month.
Allow the pie filling to cool before you assemble the top crust. If the filling is too warm, the top crust will get a little soggy.
Don’t over-work the dough so it’s more tender. You’ll have to compress it together but you don’t want to knead like you’re baking homemade rolls. Just turn it enough to bring it together.
Pie crust should be rolled out to about ¼" thick and usually a few” wider than your pie dish you’re using.
Blind bake: If dough slumps or sags when blind baking the bottom crust, dough may not have been cold enough. Chill dough in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to prevent and slumping and use pie weights/beans to further help if this issue happens.

Nutritional Information:
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 564kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 43g (14%), Protein: 15g (30%), Fat: 37g (57%), Saturated Fat: 22g (138%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 104mg (35%), Sodium: 1066mg (46%), Potassium: 382mg (11%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 8g (9%), Vitamin A: 4871IU (97%), Vitamin C: 5mg (6%), Calcium: 98mg (10%), Iron: 3mg (17%)